Chance Encounters
by queenfirst
Summary: HoennChampionShipping. When May was assigned the task of delivering a letter to Mr. Stone's son, she was pleased to know he was quite the looker. She didn't expect to fall for him, though, or run into him several times during the course of her journey... There was no way this was all coincidental, was there? Follows ORAS gameplay.
1. The First

The First

She met him indirectly when she had first set out on her journey, when she was seventeen. May was nothing but a novice trainer from a tiny town (and the only child of Petalburg's Gym Leader, but that was neither here nor there).

She had just defeated the dork in the red suit for the second time today, and was on her way back to return whatever he stole; the police had been alerted, and were quick to deal with the thief.

Ruffles, her Torchic, made herself comfortable in her arms, exhausted from the stressful day. May absentmindedly stroked its coarse feathers as she was escorted through Devon Corp, wondering what the CEO would reward her with – money? A new and improved pair of running shoes? Maybe even an invincible type of Pokeball?

It was a letter - one she was to deliver to the CEO's very own son.

May stifled a sigh. It wasn't too much trouble, she supposed, seeing how she needed to head to Dewford sooner or later. She brightened a bit when Mr. Stone added the BuzzNav app onto her PokeNav Plus, which allowed her to watch some of her favourite TV shows and keep up with the current events while she trekked across the region.

May made to store the letter in her bag, but paused. "Um, Mr. Stone?" she asked. "I know I'm meant to deliver it to your son Steven, but how will I know who he is?"

The head of the most illustrious company in Hoenn chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you'll know when you see him." When May remained sceptical, Mr. Stone conceded. "Hm, let's see… ah, there we go." He pulled a magazine from the drawer of his desk and flipped through its pages before coming to a stop on an article of the Devon Corporation. Mr. Stone pointed a stubby finger at an image of a young man. "That's him."

 _Whoa,_ thought May. _Steven Stone is so…_

"Beautiful," she whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

May jumped, and Ruffles squawked in surprise. "Uh, I mean, the Pokemon next to your son in the photo- it's beautiful."

"I…see." Mr. Stone clearly saw through her transparent lie, but helped May salvage what was left of her pride by letting the matter go. He straightened to his full height, which wasn't that great, to be honest. "Feel free to take this with you in case you forget what he looks like. I wish you luck on your trip, young lady."

May quickly composed herself and nodded. She placed the magazine in her bag along with the letter, looking forward to the path they would lead her to.

* * *

She met him face-to-face several days later. The Knucle Badge sparkled in the sunlight as she pinned it to her bag, tangible proof that she had defeated Brawly of Dewford Gym and was one step closer to becoming Champion.

Ruffles chittered excitedly beside her. Dewford was more a giant beach than a small island, and Ruffles was enjoying the novel feeling of having sand between her clawed feet. As a Torchic, she would have been far too scared to even go near the water, but she was a Combusken now, and with her evolution came a whole new level of confidence.

According to the Fighting Pokemon specialist, Steven was normally spotted in Granite Cave, northwest of Dewford. The tediousness of the trek was broken by the occasional battle-ready fisherman, whose Water types were either Pecked or Double Kicked away. Now calmer, Ruffles strode beside her at a level pace as they reached the cave.

Further in the cave slept a single Zubat. May frowned at the sight. Didn't Zubats travel in hordes? The last May had been in a cave was almost a decade ago, and her dad had pointed out that bats never travelled alone, and that she had to take care if she spotted one.

As May and Ruffles neared the anomaly, the Zubat shook itself awake. The wild Pokemon screeched and swept down towards them, forcing the duo to fight back in order to defend themselves. The Zubat bit off more than it could chew, though, and the fight was over quickly. Or so they thought.

Ruffles dealt the finishing blow, but the Zubat didn't stay down. Despite how much it seemed to hurt, it pushed itself up again. A quivering mess, it let out another battle cry, though this one was much weaker. Ruffles twitched and made to start again, but May said, "Stop."

Ruffles stilled, and even the Zubat paused. The Trainer crouched down so that she was more or less at eye-level with the bat. Even now, it was still struggling to rise. May smiled.

"It must be lonely," she said softly, "all by yourself in this huge cave." Huge to the small creature, at any rate.

Cases like this were common, her dad once told her. The runts of the lot, the unsuccessful alphas, the weak, the outliers – they were cast out more often than not, forced out of the pack and left in isolation.

May held out her hand to the Zubat.

Zubat didn't even hesitate. It rested its head in May's palm, surprising the teenager with its show of utter trust. She grinned and tapped a Pokeball against its head, allowing it to rest completely.

Ruffles chirped as she rose, and May scratched her best friend's chin in response. "Let's go find Steven Stone."

"There's no need."

May whirled around so fast she slapped her poor Pokemon, who cried out in indignation. She stroked her Combusken's feathers in apology, but kept her eyes on the new presence.

Steven Stone.

The magazine hardly did him any justice. His hair was a unique shade of steel blue, and at first May assumed his eyes were the same, but revised that notion the more she took him in. They were a tinge darker, and flecked with another colour, but she wasn't sure what it was…

It was only when Steven blinked those confounding eyes of his did May snap out of her trance. She had been staring- and he had caught her staring and- oh no. She felt her face heat up in embarrassment.

"Can I help you…?"

"May," she said behind her hand, hoping to hide most of her blush. "You're Steven Stone, right?" Like she hadn't glanced at the magazine's photo every now and then.

Steven nodded and smiled politely. "Yes, I am. How can I help you?"

May grinned. "I have a letter for you," she said brightly, rustling through her bag.

"A letter?" he repeated, watching as she pulled the crisp letter free. "From whom?"

"Your father."

It happened so fast May wasn't sure if she saw correctly. Steven's smile grew stonier, the light in his eyes darkening a little. But then his expression was courteous once more. "I see. Thank you."

Glee gone, May nodded slowly. "No problem."

"You're too kind," he said lightly. "It must have been some trouble taking time to track me down."

He really was a nice guy. Maybe his previous lapse was a trick of the light. (But May knew better.) "It's okay, really," she insisted, smiling. "I had to make my way here anyway, if I wanna be the Champion one day."

Steven's eyes sparkled with interest. "Oh, so you're here to take on Dewford's Gym."

"Nope."

"No?"

Grinning, May flipped her bag to the front of her waist, revealing her Badges. "I've already won."

She was sure Steven's smile grew a touch warmer. "Congratulations."

Aaaaand there was the blush. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Since you're a Trainer as well, I'm sure you'll find this quite handy." Steven withdrew a sleek disc from the inner pocket of his expensive-looking suit. "It's the TM containing my favourite move: Steel Wing. Please accept it."

"Oh, um…" Well, she couldn't really deny him, not when he was being so straightforward. "Sure. Thank you, again."

He stared at her for a moment, and seemed to come to a decision. "If you don't mind, could you come with me?"

It had been long imprinted into May's mind that, were she ever asked to follow a strange man, she would firmly and vehemently say, _"No!"_ But Steven wasn't a strange man, not really. Okay, so he was a little mysterious, and okay, that might just be a little attractive, but she could tell he was a nice person.

"Sure," she said calmly. She'd follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked her to.

He led the way, providing May with ample time to scrutinise (ogle) him. It wasn't like she could see much, though, since his suit covered almost everything. It was a shade of purple so dark it was almost black, while the cuffs seemed to be made out of steel itself.

 _So weird,_ she couldn't help but think. _But no less good-looking_. Which begged the question…

"Steven, how old are you?"

Said man's steps faltered for a moment before continuing on. He glanced over his shoulder at May, who finally noticed that he was a whole head taller than her. On the one hand, _swoon_ , but on the other, _tall jerk._

"I'm twenty."

May rubbed her chin thoughtfully. A three-year gap… Not too bad, but not great either. Still, she knew age wasn't exactly the problem, but the developmental stages they were at. A sixteen-year-old dating a nineteen-year-old was inherently worse, because one was technically an adult while the other still a child. Maybe not physically, but emotionally. Hell, even a sixteen-year-old and eighteen-year-old was bad. It wasn't the distance between ages, but maturity.

She was seventeen, though, so she wasn't too far off from reaching his level.

"I see," she said. "I couldn't really tell. When's your birthday?"

"The fifth of March," he replied, a hint of confusion colouring his cool voice.

"Ah, damn, I'm the twenty-third of April."

"You're disappointed? Why is that?"

May's eyes darted around for a distraction, which came in the shape of an enormous mural. "Whoa," she breathed.

They had reached the end of the cave. The entirety of the back wall was decorated with what could only be an ancient drawing. It depicted a horrendous sight, with tumultuous waves of what she hoped was water but, judging by the volcanos erupting in the background, seemed to be lava instead. Dominating the scene was a giant dragon-like Pokemon – sans wings – which breathed out what could only be a torrent of fire. Several strange figures were being blown away by the creature, but May couldn't make them out. (She refused to go with her initial instinct, because the thought of people being subjected to that horror made her gut clench.)

There was a slight pressure on her shoulder, and May's gut clenched for a whole other reason. She looked up into Steven's concerned features and, despite herself, part of her seemed to melt.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, but almost regretted the action when he retracted his hand. She turned her attention back to the wall. "What is that?"

Steven sighed. "An ancient piece of art I came across today. It depicts a primal world from thousands of years ago, when a Legendary Pokemon threatened humanity itself."

"Not just humanity," she said, frowning. "Other Pokemon too, I'm sure."

From her periphery, May could see that Steven was staring at her again before darting to what she assumed were the Pokeballs on her belt. "Yes," he said slowly. "Them too."

"There have been issues recently," May said suddenly, "all over the world. Kanto, Johto, and our neighbours Sinnoh… The Legendaries appeared because of certain people…" Her dark blue eyes snapped over to Steven. "Will something happen here – to Hoenn?"

Steven's eyes widened in shock before narrowing shrewdly. "How do you know about all that? It's been hushed up in other regions, especially to the general public."

"I'm not from Hoenn," she said quickly. "I've travelled, so I've heard things."

It seemed Steven really was Mr. Stone's son, because he didn't buy her lie either. His body tensed. "We're not certain," he admitted. "But things have been stirring in Hoenn. Certain people have been behaving oddly."

May's mind flicked back to what brought her here in the first place. "Team Magma," she murmured. When Steven's expression demanded an explanation, May obliged, informing him of the criminal that had plagued Rustboro City.

By the time she finished, Steven's face was grave. "I see. That must have been a tough ordeal for you."

May wasn't sure how to respond. No one had expressed such concern for her after she had dealt with that criminal; most were simply relieved that it was no longer a problem. "It's okay," she found herself saying. "His Pokemon were really weak."

A frown marred Steven's features. "It's okay to admit you're scared sometimes."

"What- What do you mean?"

"When you were talking about him, your hands were trembling."

May clenched her traitorous hands. "You're right," she admitted in a small voice. "I was scared. That man… Even though his Pokemon were weak, his intentions weren't." She could still remember his cruel eyes, his vicious determination all too vividly.

Perhaps sensing her distress, Ruffles whined and nudged her shoulder. May smiled slightly and nudged it back. Inhaling deeply, she met Steven's eyes once more.

"But I won't let this fear hold me back. This Team Magma…" She thought of her parents, of Wally, of Brendan. "If they're anything like Team Rocket, they must be defeated."

"By who?"

"Me." May glanced at Ruffles. "Even if the whole world is complacent, my Pokemon and I will take them down."

Steven nodded. "You do look quite capable. But if that's your goal, you need to be the best of the best. You'd need to be Champion."

May bared her teeth in a grin. "I was planning on that anyway."

"Then I wish you luck on your journey. I must be on my way. It was a pleasure meeting you, May."

May nodded, hoping none of her disappointment showed. She didn't want to part with him, not really, but the son of Devon Corp was undoubtedly busy. Still… She bit her lip. "Will we meet again?"

Steven smiled, so sweetly and confidently that May couldn't help but believe his next words whole-heartedly.

"Of that, I have no doubt."


	2. The Second

The Second

The second time she met him, something unbelievable happened.

Several weeks had passed, bringing new experiences with it. The one constant that pervaded her journey was the presence of Team Magma, who grew more and more audacious each time she ran into them.

May had tried to hinder them as much as she could. Though they always lost to her when it came to battles, they ultimately succeeded in their plans, stealing what needed to be stolen and then high-tailing it out of there. She had only caught wind of them after exiting the Slateport Contest Hall with a ribbon attached to her Golbat and flowers from a friendly girl called Lisia.

May thwarted them successfully in Slateport, saving the Devon Goods, but the Meteorite had fallen into their hands in Fallarbor Town, when they were desperate enough to threaten the safety of those around them.

She remembered it all too well. The larger of the dangerous duo had grabbed Professor Cozmo, easily lifting the fragile man. He had used him as a human shield against any further attacks from her Pokemon and, once they were safely outside the cave, tossed him aside and took his Meteorite with them.

May had regained it eventually. She pressed her hand against the pocket of her bag where it was kept. It did nothing to lift her uneasiness. Team Magma had obviously thought it crucial to their plans – judging by the way they seized control over Mt. Chimney, by how their leader Maxie was ready to use something called Mega Evolution to deal with May's team for good. But then he had received a call from his goons, and suddenly the Meteorite was useless.

It was so _vexing_. What on earth were they planning?

Beneath her, May's Azumarill let out a little chirrup. They had crossed the creek safely and reached the body of land west of Mauville City – Route 118, according to her map.

"Thanks, Dottie," she said, smiling as she recalled her egg-shaped friend into her Pokeball. "Rest up."

Night had fallen, so most of her Pokemon were growing drowsy. May contemplated bringing out her Golbat, but he was still in a food coma from the lunch Mum had packed for her before she left this morning. She had been overjoyed when her only child had returned for the night after clearing Petalburg's Gym, and May couldn't help but feel guilty over her insufficient visits. Video calls were good and all, but they obviously weren't enough.

Mum looked like she was about to faint when Dad returned home early. Even before May had set off for her journey, the three of them were rarely home together for dinner. It had been nice, especially since her father seemed to finally and truly acknowledge her skill as a Trainer.

"You seem pleased."

May stilled. She knew that voice. That gorgeous, husky voice. She turned to its owner, her smile evolving to a grin. "Steven!"

"May." Steven stepped down from the ledge of land with an elegance May didn't know was possible. "I knew we'd meet again."

As always, the warmth in his voice heated her cheeks. "It's nice to see you again."

"And I you. It's good to see your journey is going well."

Discomfort seeped into her. "Well, more or less."

Steven frowned. "What happened?" When May finished recounting her run-ins with Team Magma, Steven's brow grew furrowed. "You sure have a knack of running into trouble."

"I'd like to think trouble finds me."

"That also seems plausible," he conceded, gazing at the star-filled sky. "You know, May… In this vast world, there are many kinds of Pokemon. They come in many types. Should you raise different types? Or will you only raise Pokemon of a certain type you like? I wonder what you think, as a Pokemon Trainer? Not that it's anything I should be concerning myself with… But somehow I find myself wanting to know what you think." Steven shook his head, and May remembered how to breathe. "I suppose I should be going," he said abruptly. "I hope to see you again, though."

Before disappointment could seize hold of her again, something large swooped towards them. May grabbed a Pokeball instinctively, but her arms went slack as the oncoming creature lowered itself before her.

"Latias!" breathed Steven.

Latias threw its head back with a cry, and May had the inexplicable urge to hop onto its back and ride with it into the heavens.

"May!"

May flinched, and it was only then she realised that she had actually acted on her impulses. She was nearing the edge of the beach and less than a metre away from the majestic Pokemon hovering over the water.

"Sorry," she murmured, shuffling back. "It's just… Latias – her eyes seems so sad."

Latias released a low moan, confirming her suspicions.

"I see…" Steven stepped closer towards the red Dragon, and if May reached out a little, her hand would brush his. "Latias, do you want us to soar somewhere with you?"

Again, Latias threw her head back, and May had the feeling it was nodding. Now certain, Steven climbed onto the mythical Pokemon's back. May was more hesitant – honestly, it was more surprising that Steven wasn't – and they all knew it.

"May," Steven said, softly yet firmly. "I believe Latias wishes for you to come, too."

"Do you?"

Steven met her gaze evenly. "Of course."

May practically leapt onto Latias's back at that. Well, she tried to. Steven had easily thrown one leg over the bird-like Pokemon, but he had a decent amount of height on her. Noticing her dilemma, he stretched a hand towards her. May grabbed it gratefully, subtly noting all the grooves in his coarse hand. She settled in behind him, feeling fuzzy all over.

That didn't mean she wasn't nervous, though. As Latias began to rise, a squeak of surprise burst forth from her lips. Without another thought, Mat flung her arms around Steven's waist, as if he somehow had the power to keep them from slipping off of the giant Pokemon's back.

Steven made a strange noise in response, though May couldn't determine what it was over the howling of the wind. "It's okay," he said loudly. "Latias's psychic powers are erecting a forcefield around us. We won't fall off as long as it remains focused."

"You're not really good at this reassuring thing, are you?" May couldn't help but ask. Nervousness lead to word-vomit, sometimes. Still, she appreciated the effort and, as the flight continued, calmed down enough to enjoy the ride.

Hoenn looked so small! They passed the towering volcano that loomed over Lavaridge, a strange crater that was large enough to fit a small town, and a strange structure that looked like it reached the heavens itself.

Not to mention the _stars_. It was as if Articuno itself had unleashed a Powder Snow attack into the nightsky, leaving tiny shards of sparkling ice suspended in the air.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered, awe-stricken.

She felt Steven shift between her arms, but May was too busy drinking in the stars and streets to glance at him.

He managed to utter a simple, "Yes" before Latias began to descend. They landed on a small island far, far away from the mainland. May turned to the direction they arrived from, but all she could make of Hoenn was the glimmer of several lights.

She directed her attention back to the sight in front of her. It was absolutely stunning. The map on her PokeNav Plus told her this was Southern Island, a place virtually untouched my humans. It was lush with green grass and tall trees, intersected by a variety of miniature waterfalls and lakes. She breathed in the crisp, fresh air, wondering at how pure it tasted compared to the air in central Hoenn.

Eager to begin exploring, Steven dismounted the Dragon-Bird hybrid as if it were a common Rhydon. May was less sure of herself. She gazed at Latias's midriff, trying to pinpoint a place to put pressure on that wouldn't cause it any harm.

"Need a hand?" asked Steven.

May smiled and accepted his offer. A hand from him? _Anytime._

As he wrapped his larger hand around hers, she was once again struck by how calloused it was. Which got her thinking.

"Steven, who are you?"

Steven started at the question, but didn't relinquish his hold on her (thankfully). "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

May shrugged, uncomfortable with _his_ discomfort. "It's just – your hands are surprisingly rough." For the son of a businessman, at any rate.

"Oh," he said, sounding relieved. "I'm just a man interested in rare stones."

"Oh!" That explained why he was in that cave when they first met. Rare stones, huh? May thought about the Meteorite in her bag. Professor Cozmo was too traumatised by the incident to want anything do with it, so he had fervently rejected ownership of it when May had doubled back to Fallarbor. She had no use for it, and it seemed like it would make Steven happy, so… "Hey, Steven, I—"

Suddenly, Latias emitted a screech that raised the hairs on the back of May's neck. The Pokemon darted through the trees, forcing the humans to run after it.

After a minute or two, they broke into a clearing. May could have sworn she heard someone whisper, "Those whose memories fade seek to carve them in their hearts" but she had more pressing matters to attend to. Hovering over on the other side of clearing were Latias as well as Latios, but it was the duo between them that really caught May's attention.

"Team Magma," she growled, reaching for her Pokeballs.

Said criminals turned, and the taller one levelled her with a flat look. "Who are you?"

"Someone who's witnessed one too many crimes from your syndicate. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing good," replied Steven. "Team Magma… You evildoers must be the reason why Latias looked for us. You're here for them, aren't you?"

The one who had initially spoken remained silent, content to chew her gum, but her partner – a young man who looked far more excitable – blurted, "Yeah! We're gonna nab Latios _and_ its Mega Stone. That way, Team Magma will-!"

"Enough, Grunt," grit out the girl. Beneath the hood of her uniform, pink hair peeked out.

The Grunt shrunk back from his superior's glare. "Please excuse me, Miss Courtney."

"May!" said Steven. "We must protect Latios and Latias from these fiends."

May nodded curtly. She only understood half of what was going on, but she knew that whatever Team Magma was trying to accomplish, it could only be no-good. "I'm with you all the way, Steven."

Courtney sighed impatiently. "Well then…" Without another word, she tossed out a Pokeball, the Grunt beside her quickly following.

A Camerupt and Koffing blocked their trainers from her view, and May and Steven were already responding. Cotton, her Swablu, flew above the battlefield like she had taught him to, out of immediate range.

A metallic groan filled her ears, and May snapped her head over to Steven. Before him was a giant Steel Pokemon with red eyes and two arms.

 _What the hell?_

"Metang, use Zen Headbutt on that Koffing."

"Koffing, dodge and use Smog!"

Not good. Smog would not only poison their Pokemon, but also Steven and May themselves. It would be all over from there.

"Cotton!" called May. "Clear it away with Rain Dance!"

Cotton trilled and flapped its wings, whipping up a drizzle in seconds. It turned out that she didn't need to, though, as Steven's Metang was faster than a hunk of metal was supposed to be. It attacked Koffing before the Poison type could move an inch, and struck it head-on with a Psychic attack that easily rendered it comatose.

"Koffing!" wailed its Trainer.

Courtney scoffed. "Useless. Camerupt, Earth Power."

With a bellow, Camerupt stomped on the ground, causing it to erupt. Pillars of lava and rock shot up from beneath Cotton and Metang. The Bird Pokemon was able to dodge most of them, save for one or two which clipped its wings. Metang wasn't as lucky. Like Cotton, it was airborne but didn't have the speed of the small Bird, and so took a direct hit. Only its tough body allowed it to stay standing.

When the earth settled down, May withdrew her injured Swablu with a thanks. Now that the threat of poison had been neutralised, she called out her Azumarill instead. Azumarills were inherently slow, but the rain boosted its Speed significantly, and a single Aqua Tail was all it needed to bring the thick Camerupt down.

"As anticipated," sighed Courtney as she withdrew her fallen Camerupt. "If only we had enough resources to bring reinforcements… We will retreat for now."

May scowled. "You're not getting away that easily. Dottie, knock 'em down."

Before Dottie could leap forth, the Team Magma Grunt threw several round objects onto the ground. They exploded, and suddenly the area was filled with thick, odourless smoke. May coughed violently as it invaded her system, and was knocked aside as the villains ran past her.

She hissed – both at the fact that they had gotten away and the stinging of her palms as she landed. A glow emanated from the direction of Latias and Latios, and suddenly the air was cleared. May took a few seconds to cleanse her lungs before pulling herself up with a wince.

Steven was by her side in an instant. "May, are you injured?"

May hoped her answering smile didn't look as pained as it felt. "I'm okay – just a few scrapes." She held up her hands and waved them slightly to prove her words.

Steven's own hands shot out and grabbed hers, causing her to release a small "Eep". He stared at them silently and with such an intensity that May uttered a hesitant, "Steven…?"

Steven glanced up at her, and she could see the gears turning in his head. He hastily let go of her. "My apologies."

"It's okay," she replied, bemused. She shook her head at the enigma that was Steven Stone. "Are you? You didn't get knocked down either, did you? I have some bandages if you need them." Such was the life of a Trainer.

"No, I'm fine. May… You performed spectacularly just now."

May scratched her cheek. "It was nothing."

"Nonsense. We were able to protect these wondrous Pokemon and their Mega Stones thanks to you. And it looks like they agree."

The two Legendaries lowered their heads to May's level, and she tentatively reached out a hand and patted them one at a time. She began with Latias and then moved onto Latios, who seemed to hum in contentment at her touch.

"It's trying to offer you its allegiance," claimed Steven. "I believe it's trying to show that it wants to go with you on your journey." When May simply stared at him in bewilderment, he encouraged her with a gentle, "Go on."

May swallowed back her hesitation and plucked a Pokeball from her bag. She elected a Premier Ball, because such an occasion called for it. She tapped it against Latios's snout, and it entered the ball in a beam of red light. The ball barely jiggled as Latios settled into it soundly.

Steven smiled at her, and even that couldn't wipe the dumbfounded expression off of her face. "You should also take this." He extracted something from the inner pocket of his suit and held it out for her. It was a thick, white bangle, resembling more of a cuff than a bracelet. It contained a beautiful stone coloured in a blend of greens, blues, and violets with an odd symbol in the middle. If it weren't for the context, May would have been occupied with deciphering the subtext beneath the gift.

"What is it?" she asked wonderingly.

"May, are you aware of Mega Evolution?"


	3. The Third

The Third

The third time she met him wasn't too long after the last. In that short time, though, much had happened.

Again she had encountered Team Magma and again she had defeated them. However, this time… This time things had gone awry. The man who had lead the raid against the Weather Institute – an admin known as Tabitha – had seemed distraught about his boss's plans, which was evident in their proceeding battle. He was barely focused, and his Pokemon picked up on that, allowing May to win without breaking a sweat. Like always, he fled. But May didn't try to stop him, because he declared absentmindedly that he had stop Maxie.

At the time, May had wondered what caused the sudden change. And then the researchers of the Institute told her about the super-ancient Pokemon, their Primal powers, and Team Magma's interests…

Even now, she grew distraught thinking about it. She had to tell someone. And she tried.

Soon after she left the Institute, May had run into Brendan. He was as chipper and kind as always, and immediately picked up on her distress. She revealed what she knew, half-afraid he would brush her off at the notion that Team Magma could even bring about such a catastrophe again.

But he hadn't. He had listened to her without interrupting and, when she was done, acted as if he believed everything.

"I'll let my dad and yours know," he promised her, face uncharacteristically grim. But then it broke out into his usual grin. "How about a battle first? It might help you relax."

May smiled, grateful, and then proceeded to demolish him.

As usual, he accepted his defeat well, shaking his head with an exasperated smile. He was right; settling into their usual routine really did wonders for her.

"You really are a great friend, Brendan," she said softly.

For some reason, Brendan's smile grew rueful. "Anything for you, May."

His reaction made her sad, somehow. She threw her arms around him just as she did when they were kids, before he had left Johto. After a moment, he hugged her back, and she knew everything was all right.

A flash of steel blue in her periphery dragged May's attention back to the present. She commanded a brilliant view high up from her perch on one of Fortree City's famous rope bridges, and almost instantly located the source of her attention: Steven Stone.

A hand stroked his chin while the other supported his elbow as he mused thoughtfully. Before May could give in her urge to jump down and greet him with a flying tackle, Steven strode away, heading towards Route 120. Trying to forget the fact that she felt like a stalker, May hurried after him. Besides, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do – the path to Fortree's Gym was blocked off by an invisible barrier, vexingly enough.

She caught up to him just in time, though she was forced to battle a tenacious Bird Keeper with a Swablu. May was tempted to use her Altaria against him, but forwent entertainment for time, and sent out her Azumarill instead. Though the opposing Swablu was light and fast, once Dottie got a clear shot, the battle was over with one Play Rough.

May slowed her jog to a power-walk as she crossed the wooden bridge. It spanned the distance over a small lake, and May let Dottie play in it instead of recalling her back into her Quick Ball.

"Steven!" she called, inwardly wincing at her enthusiasm.

He didn't seem to mind, though. Steven turned around and, when he spotted her, his pensive expression melted away into a familiar smile. "May."

May stopped before him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "How have you been?"

"I've been all right. I'm actually here on business."

Hot. May hoped her flush wasn't as obvious as it felt. "What's up?"

Steven's smile took on an impish glint. "Rather than tell you, I'll show you." He withdrew something from the pocket of his suit jacket and handed it to her. "Use this on the invisible obstacle over here."

May accepted the strange binocular-like object with bemusement. She placed it against her eyes and looked ahead. At first, nothing happened. All she saw was thin air. Then, just as she was about to deliver the bad news to Steven, something shimmered. May was forced to crouch slightly as the hindrance took shape.

May gasped. "A Pokemon!"

The lizard Pokemon, realising it had been spotted, reacted instantly. It screeched and leapt at her.

But May wasn't the owner of six Gym Badges for nothing. "Fang!" she cried, tossing out a Pokeball. "Acrobatics!"

Unsurprisingly, her Crobat took down the lizard with one hit. May aimed a Nest Ball at the fatigued creature, capturing it successfully. Job complete, Crobat returned to his Ball to resume his interrupted sleep. Dottie, having sensed the battle, finally lowered her guard and continued to splash around in the lake.

Now that the threat was gone, May lowered the binoculars and flipped open her Pokedex. According to the device, she had just fought and caught a Kecleon, a charmeleon-like Pokemon.

"Ah," murmured Steven. "So you are a Pokedex holder. I see the rumours hold some truth to them."

May snapped her Pokedex shut with a frown. "Rumours?"

Steven merely smiled.

His calm demeanour ignited a flicker of irritation within May. "Thanks for the warning, by the way," she said dryly.

"I'm sorry?"

May huffed. "You could have at least warned me to get ready. If I was a bit slower, that Kecleon would've gotten me."

Steven shook his head. "Of course not, May. I believe in your proficiency as a Trainer."

The compliment should have warmed her, but the only thing May could feel was impatience. "Sure, I would've been fine _normally_. But my hands were kinda tied up with this thing." She shoved the strange binoculars onto Steven, underpinning her point.

Steven instinctively grasped the object thrust onto him. He looked down at it with a troubled frown. "…I see. My apologies. However," he added, raising his head to meet her eyes, "even if you had faltered, rest assured I would have assisted you immediately."

May met his steely eyed gaze unflinchingly. Her own eyes searched him for any sign of deceit, but… Steven didn't really seem the type to lie. Not to her, at any rate. (Or maybe that was just her big head speaking.)

It was her turned to duck her head. "Okay," she mumbled. "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"No," he said quickly. "Don't apologise. It was deserved."

May cracked a grin and punched Steven's shoulder. "I'll say."

Steven flinched at the contact, though he looked more surprised than hurt.

Embarrassed, May hastily changed the subject. "Um, so what is that, anyway?" she asked hurriedly, pointing at the item in Steven's hands.

Steven took the bait willingly, excitedly explaining how it was something called a Devon Scope. "It was developed by—"

"Silph Co.?"

Steven gave her a look.

May beamed.

"…Anyway, it's a fantastic device that allows the wearer to see hiding Pokemon. I was going to give it you as a gift, but you don't seem to appreciate its ingenuity."

May couldn't help it. Steven was just so damn proud about his gadgets and so sulky that she had to laugh. "Steven, you're so cute."

She froze, the laugh dying midway. "Like a kid!" she amended. _Smooth._

"May…" Steven glanced at her with concern. "I'm older than you."

May scoffed. "By three years. Besides, our developmental stages will align soon." When Steven remained nonplussed, she elaborated.

"That's an interesting perspective," was all he said. Well, at least he hadn't refuted it. That would have been a strike to the heart.

"Thanks. So, um, are you headed back to Fortree?"

Steven shook his head, and May liked to believe he looked a little sad as well. "I must return to Rustboro and report the Scope's success. I take it you'll be challenging Winona?"

May nodded, trying not to feel too crestfallen. "Yep! Her Flyers will be no match for mine."

"In that case…" Steven pulled a small stone from his pocket. "This stone ranks as one of my top five favourite stones in existence. I have no doubt that your Pokémon will like it, too."

Stunned, May wordlessly accepted the present. One glance at the stone left her gaping. This stone had the exact same pattern as the one in the bracelet!

"Steven…" May tore her eyes from the gift to stare at its giver. "Why are you so kind?" She needed to know. She need to know that all this – the TM, the bracelet, the Devon Scope, the stone – were simply trivial tokens bestowed upon her as sheer courtesy. She needed to know that it meant nothing.

Steven smiled, seemingly oblivious to May's turmoil. "You know, May, I like to see Trainers and Pokémon who are trying their best. That's why I like you so much." Before she could even overcome the explosion taking place in her mind, Steven diverted his attention to her bag, eyes focused and intent. "Forgive me," he said dazedly. "For a moment there, something seemed to be shining in your bag…" He shook his head. "No, it couldn't be. I must be imagining things. It was lovely seeing you again, May." He dipped his head in a polite nod. "Let's meet again someday. Oh," he added, pausing in the midst of bringing out a Pokeball, "good luck with your match."

Without further ado, he hopped onto his Skarmory and waved goodbye to the speechless girl.


	4. The Fourth

The Fourth

By the time their fourth encounter rolled by, May felt so drained.

Sure, she had successfully stormed Team Magma's base – singlehandedly, to boot – but they escaped in the end, nulling her purpose in the first place. She had promised Captain Stern, the poor man, that she would retrieve his treasured submarine, but those Magma scum had fled while she was preoccupied with battling Courtney. Normally, the match would have been a piece of cake. However, while both opponents' Pokemon had grown, May's team was mentally exhausted from the endless stream of fights, and Courtney's was in tip-top shape. Still, it was six-to-one, but May and her team struggled much more than usual, leaving ample time for Team Magma's retreat.

The next few days had been dreadful. Even though Stern didn't place any blame on her (that she was aware of) and even though she had been heralded as heroic for even daring to enter the hideout alone, the weight of failure bore down on May so heavily she felt as if she were sinking.

Her journey had been paused as she stayed in Slateport for a little R'n'R. When she wasn't sleeping or shopping at the markets, May lazed around on the beach with her Pokemon. After the botched mission, she had called them out of their Pokeballs and apologised to them for being a lacklustre trainer. To be honest, part of her expected some of them to leave then and there – she had failed so much whenever she ran into Team Magma, it was no wonder they hadn't left sooner.

To her surprise, none of them left. Fang had immediately comforted her by hovering above her and nudging her head with his body, while the rest – Dottie, Cotton, Ruffles, and even her latest addition Doe the Eevee – cuddled up around her and tried to sooth her to their best of their abilities. She thanked them warmly before her fatigue caught up with her, knocking her out as she was. It wasn't too bad, though, since she woke up swathed in her beloved team. They slept outside their Pokeballs with her from then on. (Except for Fang. He either kept guard during the night or went out exploring.)

Being a Trainer, May quickly tired of doing nothing. Her thirst for competition needed to be sated regardless of her temporary reluctance to battle. Fortunately, she was in Slateport, which meant one thing – Contests.

At first, May had only entered the Contest Hall as a spectator. She wanted to see what the fuss was all about, when suddenly a voice to the side cried, "Is it? It is! May!"

A blue figure bounced towards May, causing the Trainer to step back a bit. It took a second to recognise her, but the blue hair was a dead giveaway, even if she tried to hide it beneath a beret. "Lisia," May said, smiling. "Hey."

Lisia grinned, throwing her arms around May. "It's good to see you again! How have you been?"

May stumbled beneath the abrupt hug. Despite her petite appearance, Lisia was surprisingly strong. "I'm alright. You?"

"Wonderful!" she cried, prying herself off the younger girl. "Are you here to take part in a Contest?"

May shook her head frantically. "No, no! I'm just here to watch."

Lisia pouted, but brightened a moment later. "Let's watch it together, then. Come on – entry is free if you're with me."

"Are you sure?" May frowned. While she was tempted to take up the offer (if it was free, it was free – Trainers didn't make much, after all) she wasn't sure if it would be fair.

"Of course! This a Super Rank Contest, so it's not like it's a full house or anything."

The lines on May's face smoothed out easily. "Then sure. Let's go."

The Contest idol squealed in delight as she grabbed May's hand and dragged her off with that unbelievable strength of hers. May silently wondered what she had gotten herself into.

Once May entered the hall, however, she felt her breath leave her lungs. It was spectacular! The Hall was easily the size of a Gym, with a third of the area covered by a semi-circular yellow stage with a pink backdrop.

Though Lisia was allegedly incognito – though only a Slowpoke wouldn't realise who she was as soon as they were within a metre of her – she identified herself to the stage managers. Upon hearing who she was, they hastily allowed Lisia and co. into Hall. They settled for a seat near the front of the stage, but not the front row, as all seats were taken by actual ticket-holders.

Soon after they settled into their seats, the lights dimmed. "You're going to love this," murmured Lisia as the spotlights illuminated the stage, and the first Contestant was introduced.

They were dazzling. Not just the first entry, but all four. Contests were so different compared to battles. The Pokemon were groomed perfectly and behaved the way the crowd wanted the moment they were called out of the Pokeballs. People cheered ecstatically whenever a Pokemon made a particularly awe-worthy move, waving their glow sticks in the air and applauding wildly. It was like a concert, really.

As much as they were different, Contests were also similar to battles. The moves selected by the Trainer were tactful and deliberate; some were used to gain the judges' favour while others were meant to startle their opponents or make them so nervous they wouldn't move. It was cunning and sly, and May couldn't wait to take part in it.

Once the Contest was over (and May's favourite had emerged victorious), she and Lisia were bursting with excitement.

"I know that look," gasped Lisia. "You want to be a Contest star, don't you?"

May simply smirked.

Several days later, she had conquered the Normal and Super Ranks of each category. She would have continued on until the Master Rank, but then she was attacked.

It happened as she left the Concert Hall. Night had fallen, and May was on her way to her room in the Poke Centre, when a figure emerged from the shadows.

"You!" it hissed, sounding distinctly feminine. "You're that upstart who stole Lisia's attention and used her name to win all the contests!"

May made sure to stay absolutely still. "Who are you? Stop hiding like a coward."

"How dare you!" snapped the woman, and May was reminded of the times she was reprimanded by her aunts. "My son was supposed to win those Contests, not a nobody like _you_. Purugly, teach her a lesson!"

May looked around wildly. A hiss from the darkness warned her of the feline's presence. Otherwise, though, she was totally blind in the dark. But her Pokemon was not.

"Fang, up," she barked.

May's Crobat swooped from the sky and paused in front of her long enough for her to climb on. They took off just in time, barely dodging the razor-sharp claws of the foe's Purugly. May stroked Fang's head, grateful for its speed and predilection for hovering around her and outside its Ball during the eve.

"Drop me off in that alleyway," she said into his ear, pointing towards the building she knew the woman was hiding behind. "And when you see that overgrown cat, attack it with Acrobatics."

Fang obeyed with a quiet grunt. Whether it was because the woman underestimated May's prowess as a battler, or whether it was because the woman herself was terrible at fighting, May and Fang won without breaking a sweat.

"Purugly!" shrieked the woman. She rushed towards her fallen Pokemon, but came to a stop when Fang blocked her path. His yellow-eyed glare froze her in her place better than any Ice Beam could. She stayed there til May crept up behind her, effectively blocking an exit she would have dared to make.

"So," whispered May, "unless you want my Crobat to have your Purugly as a little midnight snack, I suggest you come quietly to the police station."

Naturally, the woman obeyed. If she hadn't – well, that was better left unsaid.

May retired to bed that night feeling oddly serene. She probably should have been shaken up by the ordeal, but, sadly, it wasn't the first time her well-being had been at risk. Hell, the incident tonight was nothing compared to what Team Magma put her though each time she saw them.

Team Magma. They had been laying low for the past few weeks, remaining relatively quiet. But May never stopped thinking about them. They were always in the back of her mind, haunting her like a persistent Gengar.

Tonight, though, the thought of them wasn't tinged with fear. When she pictured them, all she could feel was red-hot anger.

May shifted in her bed, careful not to wake Doe. She gazed at Fang, the only one awake besides her. "You had fun tonight, didn't you?" she asked softly.

Crobats' mouths were usually frowning by default, but they still had the capacity to smirk and grin on occasion. Fang was providing an excellent example right now.

May rubbed his forehead absentmindedly. "I had fun, too." And she had. Despite the fact that someone wanted to harm her very badly, battling always provided her with a thrill that was incomparable to anything else – not even Contests.

She blinked groggily at Fang. "I think it's time we return to the battlefield."

Fang's grin grew even wider.

The next day, May dominated each and every Trainer within a kilometre of Slateport. Once there was no one left – and Lisia had bade farewell to her with a bone-crushing hug – May resumed her journey.

Though Crobats were indeed nocturnal, tame ones were often active during the day as well, due to the needs of their Trainers. May tried not to use Fang too often while the sun was up, but there was no other way to travel, unless she wanted to cycle for several days. So she compromised. Instead of making Fang fly all the way to Lilycove, she hopped off at Route 123 and let him gain his much-needed rest. May knew Fang wouldn't mind the former option, but she would.

After stopping by at the Berry Master's lodge and farming some of his crops, May Surfed to Mauville, grabbed an Acro Bike, and Surfed back to Route 118. A pang of nostalgia slammed into her as she strode along the shore. Last time she was here, she met a Legendary Pokemon and went on a small adventure with it.

And with Steven.

May glanced at ledge of green before her, half-expecting the elusive man to pop out once more. No such luck. Sighing, she climbed onto her bike, and rode away from those memories.

The ride to Mossdeep was relatively peaceful – well, as peaceful as it was for a Trainer. Several Trainers challenged her, and were quickly swept by her team. May made sure to keep Doe by her side at all times, and also switched on the Experience Share to spur its growth. It hadn't been long since the Normal Type Pokemon had hatched from the Egg she received as compensation from a penniless Trainer she had defeated, but she was well along in terms of development.

May maintained a steady pace during her journey. Pokemon disliked it when Trainers pedalled furiously, and it wasn't like she had energy to spare cycling crazily throughout Western Hoenn. At her pace, it took the brunette two days to reach Mossdeep, having stopped at Pokemon Centres to rest along the way. When she came across Lilycove along the way, she resolutely avoided gazing at the cave that once served as Team Magma's base.

Mossdeep was a neat city, even if it was a pain to get to. It was one of the most isolated towns May had encountered so far in Hoenn, as it was surrounded by the ocean on all sides. Still, it had a space centre – May had never seen one of those before. She made a promise to herself to head over there once she took care of business.

Smirking, May entered Mossdeep City's Gym. And promptly had her breath taken away.

The Gym, quite frankly, was mind-blowing. Circular platforms hovered over boulders, all of which hovered mid-air. Such blatant disregard for physics was all the information May needed. Mossdeep's Gym was Psychic-based.

Well, that wasn't good.

May stroked Doe's fur worriedly as her Pokemon snuggled further into her arms. The only useful moves she had against Psychic Types were Fang's Crunch and Doe's Bite. However, Fang was part Poison and Doe was incredibly under-levelled. They were last resorts, then.

May steeled herself. She would make do; she always did. Petty criminals, Team Magma, Pokemon League Gyms – she would conquer them all.

* * *

Somehow, May made it to the end without a single Pokemon down. Some almost got her – the dual Typing ones – but she pulled through. Now came the real challenge: the infamous double battle of Mossdeep Gym.

Liza and Tate pried open their eyes as May approached via teleportation. They slipped out of their meditative stances and greeted her with small smiles.

"Welcome," said Liza, and both she and her twin brother bowed slightly. May reciprocated the action.

Tate straightened his topic, the green stars of his buttons twinkling in the ethereal lighting. "We've been expecting you."

May's eyes widened. "Because of your psychic powers?" she whispered, awed.

To her surprise (and embarrassment) the twins shared a look before bursting into giggles. "No, no," gasped out Liza. "We…"

"…Have heard about you," finished Tate.

If anything, May was more confused. "What do you mean?"

Liza smiled coyly. "Nothing of importance."

"Only good things," assured Tate.

"Hm," muttered May. "I'm sure. Well, enough gossiping." She smiled. "Let's get down to business."

"Very well," said Liza, raising her left arm and leg into an offensive position. "However, this combination of ours…"

Tate mirrored his sister. "…Can you defeat it?"

May brushed a hand through her hair. "Let's find out."

Like all Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza sent out their Pokemon first. Somehow, May wasn't surprised when a Lunatone and Solrock materialised before her.

 _Perfect_. May tossed out two of her own Pokeballs, shouting orders as she did so. "Dottie, Aqua Tail the Solrock! Cotton, use Thief on Lunatone!"

They hopped to it immediately. Cotton was much faster than her opponents, and attacked the moon-shaped Pokemon flawlessly.

"Lunatone," called Tate, "use Calm Mind and attack back with Hypnosis."

"Dodge it, Cotton! Fly up!"

In the meantime, May turned to her Azumarill. Both Pokemon were equally slow, so it was only now that Azumarill had hit Solrock. The Rock-Psychic Type dropped like a stone against the super-effective move.

May breathed a sigh of stunned relief. To be honest, she wasn't expecting the one-hit K.O. The Attack EVs from the hordes of Carvanhas she kept running into were good for something after all.

Liza yelped as her only Pokemon fainted. She withdrew the fallen sun-like creature with a pout.

The battle from then on was simple. It was two-to-one, and although Lunatone finally managed to hit Cotton with a Hypnosis, Dottie covered for his sleeping partner by slamming the distracted opponent with another Aqua Tail.

May recalled her tired Pokemon with a grateful grin. They had won.

Her grin slipped somewhat upon the crestfallen looks on Liza and Tate.

"Our… Our teamwork," murmured Tate.

Liza sighed heavily. "Normally, our combo would trump most Trainers. Still…"

"This is _the May_ we've heard about."

"Yeah, but he didn't tell us she was skilled at double-battles too!"

The girl-in-question faked an obvious cough. "I'm still here, you know."

The twins snapped their heads towards her in eerie synchronisation. "Apologies," said Tate, regaining his calm. "Congratulations, May. You've won."

"So take this!" Liza handed May a gorgeous heart-shaped badge accented by a red, circular gem in the middle.

"Now all Pokemon up to level eighty will obey you."

In addition to the official Badge, she also received the HM Dive and the TM Calm Mind, which sent her mind awhirl. She could actually Dive to the depths of the ocean! A whole new world was now open.

Her hand closed around the Mind Badge. _Team Magma better watch out_ , she thought to herself.

Tate's sharp eyes dragged May back to the present. "Looks like the bond between you and your Pokemon is far stronger than the bond we share as twins..." Oddly enough, a sly light shone in his midnight eyes. "But you'll go on from here to form even more bonds. That's the future I see for you!"

Liza sighed again, though this time, it was with a resigned smile. "There may be a harsh ordeal ahead for you and your Pokemon... But that's all right! You have each other! That's why we want you to face whatever troubles may come your way head-on and full of courage!"

Those words… they were so ominous. It didn't help that they were from the mouths of actual Psychics. Instead of walking out of the Gym with a proud smile on her face, May exited with a troubled frown. What was with the cryptic parting message?

And then it hit her. Almost literally.

The second she stepped foot outside, the ground beneath her began to rumble. May bit out a curse and gripped the doorway tightly as the island shook dangerously. She kept her eyes on her sneakers for what seemed like hours, until the earthquake eventually subsided.

It was only then that she noticed the thing in the sky.

A huge pillar of green and yellow light shot out of the ocean and into the sky, releasing a loud whine as the energy surged skywards. May couldn't drag her eyes away from the sight for all the Pokedollars in the world. A large block of ice began to sink down her stomach.

Now that the coast was clear, the people of Mossdeep began to gather near the Gym. Some stumbled like newborn foals, their legs shaky from the bone-rattling tremors. May could sympathise. The constant teleportation – as well as the stream of battles – from the Gym left her queasy. And the earthquake? That was simply the icing on the cake.

She took one step. Feeling successful, she started to walk normally.

…And promptly fell like a log.

A pair of strong, steady arms stopped her face from crashing into the gravel. Fortunately, the hands didn't wander, or else the culprit would suffer the wrath of her Pokemon. Once May tilted her head to catch sight of her saviour, however, all doubts were dashed immediately.

"Steven!" she gasped.

The man himself peered down at her with concern ( _he cares!_ ) and May almost fainted then and there. "May, are you okay?"

May honestly considered saying no in order to stay in him arms a little longer, but all sense of self-awareness prevented from doing so. "Ah, yeah, I'll be fine," she said. Wincing, she extracted herself from Steven's body and tried not to grab at her dizzy head as she stood back up. "Looks I fell for you," she said through the haze of pain.

It took a second for her words to register. All grogginess was drained out of her system, as well as most of her blood. "Um! Anyway!" she squeaked. "What brings you to Mossdeep?"

Thankfully, Steven chose not to acknowledge her slip. (Which was kind of disappointing, in a way.) "I live here, actually," he replied, and May was sure she detected a hint of amusement in his deep voice. She flushed. "I heard from Liza and Tate that you visited their Gym. I was thinking of trying to catch you while you were in the area, but then this happened..." Steven paused, casting a covert glance around them. "We should talk. Let's go to my place."

 _Um, what._ May forced her mouth to work. "Yeah, sure," she tried to say as casually as possible. "So, Liza and Tate, huh?" Was it her, or was there some tension in the air? "Are you three close?"

Steven cocked his head to the side in thought, reminding May of a baby Taillow. _Freakin' adorable_. "We're good friends," he admitted. "I visit them whenever I'm in town."

May's brow furrowed. "I thought you lived here."

"I do. However…" Steven fidgeted with his metal cuffs. "I travel a lot, so I'm rarely home. Speaking of which – we're here."

Steven Stone was the son and presumed heir of the nationally famous Devon Corp, and so May had half-expected his domain to reflect that. In actuality, it was a common thing, easily looking like it housed any other person in Mossdeep.

As Steven welcomed her inside, she discovered the interior was little better. The house was barely furnished, filled with what looked like only the barest necessities. The bedroom, kitchen, and living room were literally bunched together, making it seem like one enormous room.

Steven shut the door firmly behind them. "Ah, please forgive the sparse décor. As I said, I'm rarely here, so…"

May shook her head, smiling. "Such is the life of a Trainer, right?"

"Right." Steven shared her smile, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Would you like anything to drink?"

She probably should have asked for tea or coffee like a mature adult, but it had been a long day, and May knew it wasn't going to end any time soon. Screw putting up appearances – she wanted a pick-me-up. "Do you have any juice?"

"That is a good question." Looking uncertain, Steven checked his fridge. Looking relieved, he grabbed an almost-empty carton and poured her a cup. "Here," he said as he returned, pulling out a chair from the dining table.

 _Such a gentleman_. May grinned and sat down. She sipped at the juice, relishing the cool liquid as it soothed her dry throat. "So," she said, placing the glass down onto a coaster, "what did you want to talk about?"

A small, hopeless part of her was sincerely wishing for a love confession, but it seemed today was not the day. The topic was much more dire.

Steven inhaled deeply, his steel blue eyes growing stony. "Let us take a moment to understand what is happening to our world right now. The rumbling that shook the earth just now – the eardrum-rupturing explosion we heard – they are proof that a seal, which was long hidden deep undersea, has been undone at last. The super-ancient Pokémon that has been sealed deep beneath Route 128 since ancient times... It slept until now in the Seafloor Cavern. The entrance to that cavern was sealed by the power of a certain Pokémon, all in an effort to keep any human or Pokémon from ever breaching it. But now it appears that the scheming of that terrible team has undone the seal. There is no doubt that they intend to revive the super-ancient Pokémon. And once they do so, it seems they hope to make its power their own."

May felt as if her heart had stopped. Steven must have noticed, because his next words were uttered softly, as if to limit her fright.

"May... If that team obtains the power of the super-ancient Pokemon, it will upset the balance of nature in this world. A crisis unlike any other before it will befall every living thing on this planet. I plan to do everything in my power to quell this situation. That is my duty. But there is a limit to what I can do with my power alone... That is why I am asking for your help. I have great faith in your abilities. Lend me your strength to put a halt to these Teams' mad ambitions! With you and I and our Pokemon all working together, we will overcome this disastrous turn of events. I don't think it is out of the question."

She said nothing. There was nothing to say. All she could do was sit and listen.

Steven's gaze grew hesitant. "Tate and Liza gave you the HM Dive, correct?" When May nodded mutely, he strode to his closet and pulled out a package. "If you use this, you can stay with your Pokémon even in the depths of the ocean... Specifically, along Route 128. Beneath the correct stretch of water lie the entrance to the Seafloor Cavern. I will join you when I finish my duties. Please do what you can to stop Team Aqua and Team Magma until then. I am trusting you to do this forme."

What?! He wanted her to— And stop them— By herself? This was just too much. This _day_ was just too much! May's body must have felt the same, because the whole world was spinning and the lights were too bright and too dark and _oh, no, I'm not going to faint, am I? I mean, I was joking about it before, but—_

The last thing she saw were the horrified eyes of Steven Stone.


	5. The Fifth

A/N: Sorry for the late update, guys. Mental illness does that to you lmao.

* * *

The Fifth

The fifth time May saw Steven, she wanted to punch him square in that pretty face of his.

May blinked open her eyes, and almost screamed when the first thing she saw was a pair of red eyes glaring down at her. The last dregs of sleep vanished immediately, providing her with some semblance of clarity. She sighed, tension draining from her body.

Steven's Metagross leaned back as May rose from the bed. She stared at it, wondering where its owner was. Metagross stared back.

Curiosity overcoming her, May slowly reached a hand towards it. Surprisingly, the Pokemon remained still, allowing May to rest her head against its cool head and pat it a few times. With her free hand, May grabbed her Pokedex from the bag beside the pillow and flipped it open.

"Metagross has four brains in total," she read aloud, still stroking said Pokemon. "Combined, the four brains can breeze through difficult calculations faster than a supercomputer. This Pokémon can float in the air by tucking in its four legs." She looked up. "You can float?"

True to its description, Metagross fully understood what was May was saying. The Trainer retracted her hand as it shuffled back and demonstrated the last titbit of info effortlessly.

"Neat," remarked May. She scrolled down the Pokedex. "Metagross is the result of two Metang achieving fusion. When hunting, this Pokémon…" Eyes widening, May sat back as she finished the rest silently _. It pins the prey to the ground under its massive body. It then eats the helpless victim using the large mouth on its stomach._

"Steven," she whispered harshly, "I'm going to kill you." Before his Pokemon did, hopefully.

As if summoned by her thoughts, said man appeared. "You're awake," he noted, looking a little worse for wear. "Sorry for leaving. I had to step out and calm everyone down."

Such a sweetheart. Now she felt a little bad about the future punch. "Everyone's panicking, huh?"

Steven nodded. "They think it's a precursor to the Armageddon."

Well, they weren't wrong. "But you want me to stop it, right?" she asked, frustration lacing her voice. "Steven, I'm not even an actual adult yet. What makes you think _I_ can stop Team Magma from resurrecting the Legendary Pokemon?"

"May… Your age matters little. You've demonstrated prowess above and beyond those far older than you." Steven stepped closer towards her, kneeling down to her level. "You've tackled Team Magma by yourself before. I'm sure you can do it again."

May dragged her eyes away from Steven's magnetic gaze. "What if I'm scared?" she asked quietly, hating the way her voice wavered. It was like she was six and flinching away from the alleged Ghost in her closet all over again.

A warm hand ensconced hers, making May snap her gaze back to Steven. He grasped her hands delicately between his. "I may not be by your side all the way, but I'll be silently cheering you on. Okay?"

She bit her lip, feeling her resolve crumble beneath Steven's earnest eyes. "If I die, I'm returning as a Gastly and haunting the hell out of you."

Steven stared in surprise before smiling in bemusement. "Don't worry. If it's you, it'll be okay."

"How are you so confident in me?" She didn't even know if she could do half of what he was expecting!

"You love your Pokemon, and they love you. It's only obvious that you can defeat any obstacle in your way."

 _My Pokemon aren't the only ones I love._ Should she say it? Was it time? She had known ever since day one, and this might be her last chance to confess. But it was because of that very reason that she held her tongue. What kind of person would she be if she burdened Steven with her love right before passing?

So she simply smiled. "Let's do this," she said, mustering as much confidence as she could.

Steven smiled back. "Let's."

The Seafloor Cavern was a pain in the ass, that was for sure. As May ploughed through the depths of the cave, sweeping Magma Grunts left and right, her fear disappeared. Irritation took its place, especially as the heat grew more unbearable the lower she descended. Naturally, that was where the Boss was located, so it meant she was getting warmer (pun intended). On the bright side, the Grunts had dropped several items and TMs as they hastened to escape, helpfully expanding May's collection.

Finally, she reached the final floor. Inhaling deeply, she turned to Ruffles. "Ready?" Her Blaziken nodded. "Let's kick some ass."

When May stepped foot into the cave, she was almost blown back by the wall of heat that slammed into her. The cave was more lava than land, and she was drenched in sweat within seconds. Part of her perspiration was due to the slumbering giant in said lava, though. Groudon. It hadn't been awakened yet – good. If things went well, it never would be.

Standing close to the lava were both Leaders of Team Aqua and Magma. She understood why the latter was there, but the former? It couldn't be good news.

"Ruffles," she whispered. "Knock them out."

Ruffles rushed off, ready to slam a claw into Team Aqua's leader, who was standing closer to them. He deftly dodged with a shout. "Hold on, brat! What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to prevent the end of the world!" she screamed. She sent out the rest of her team, even her little Eevee. "Take them down!"

Aqua's leader went down like a stone without sending even a single Pokemon out. Doe kept guard, watching for any sign of consciousness.

Meanwhile, the rest of her team fought against Maxie's.

"Ruffles, Mega Evolve and keep using Brick Break on that Mega Camrupt!" called May, a safe distance from the fray. "Cotton, Dazzle the Gleam out of that Mightyena! Dottie, use Superpower on that Weezing, and Fang? Let's see you out-speed that Crobat and use Acrobatics on it."

Maxie scowled fiercely at her, though the effect was kind of ruined when he had to wipe his glasses clear of the steam arising from the lava behind him. He screamed orders at his Pokemon among the noise, but constantly cut himself off as he tried to juggle between all four of them. May grinned. Although this was the first time she was engaging in a free-for-all, her team had grown together, lived together, and trained together. They were friends, and almost in-sync with each other. A flawless combo.

Eventually, Maxie was out of able Pokemon. He recalled them with a noise of disgust, his rage-filled eyes never leaving May's victorious ones. When he spoke, though, he sounded as calm and collected as always, and that scared the crap out of her.

"So," he said slowly, adjusting his framed glasses, "you've managed to chase me down here. What's more, you've defeated me again. How commendable." His thin lips twitched up into a cold smile. "And I shall reward you for your efforts – by letting you watch as my dream is realised!"

"Surrender, Maxie," replied May. "My Pokemon might be not be in tip-top shape, but they're more than enough to take you down. What will it be?"

Maxie actually _laughed_. It was a haunting sound. "Oh, my young hero, this is beyond you and I. Here you are, believing until the very end that a world where humanity and Pokémon coexist must be the best... Rejecting my ideals without a second thought... Yes, watching you struggle desperately to halt the beginning of the world's end... You are undoubtedly a hero! So noble... And yet. I will not yield! I will not bend! My ideals will not be shaken! My dream for the world's next step forward will never change!"

"You talk too much." Disturbed but determined not to show it, she tilted her slightly towards Ruffles' direction. "Ruffles, just like with the other man."

Her Mega Blaziken blinked its eyes in acknowledgement before springing forth, becoming nothing but a red and white blur as it zoomed towards Maxie. She could barely see the Pokemon – and she had been expecting it. But that meant Maxie definitely couldn't avoid it. Or so she thought.

"No!" cried a voice behind her. "Don't hurt him!"

A black, growling mass exploded past her and straight into Ruffles, saving Maxie. As the two began to scuffle, May gaped at the intruder.

It was the Team Magma Admin, Tabitha. He ran towards them, gasping. He gazed at May imploringly. "Trainer, I want to stop Leader Maxie as much as you do, but please don't harm him." Tabitha turned to said leader, who looked stunned. "Maxie, please stop! This madness will destroy the world – _Groudon_ will destroy the world!" he cried, sounding a second away from bursting to tears.

Maxie simply scoffed. "You think I hadn't noticed? You've been after my position, haven't you? Betrayed by my right-hand man…" He turned away from then, towards the large grey mass that was the Pokemon which had the power to end all life on Earth. "It seems there's only being I can depend on. Groudon! Absorb the power of the Red Orb, and reclaim yourself! Revert to your primal form!" Sounding giddy, Maxie withdrew the Orb from the pocket of his pants.

Several things happened at once. Ruffles, without the aid of May, fumbled and squawked as Mightyena chomped down with its sharp teeth. Doe barked as her ward groaned, struggling to wake. Tabitha roared as his leader did the unforgiveable.

May was frozen, the cacophony of pain and terror clawing at her paralysing her completely.

Maxie raised the Red Orb in the air.

She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

For all that it was, May might as well have been thrust into an oven. The sky had turned a toxic orange, almost as if they were in the midst of the sun itself. Even at this moment, the ocean was slowly but surely drying up. May stood dumbly on the small segment of land that was gradually growing as the surrounding body of water receded.

Though she was no longer in the cavern, she was still coated in a fine sheen of sweat. She probably should start heading off to Sootopolis with the others, but what was the point? She couldn't stop Groudon's awakening, so how were they supposed to fight it now that it was gaining back its power?

That was how Steven found her moments later. She barely twitched as a shadow approached her from above, soon revealing itself to be a Skarmory. It landed next to her with a screech, making May blink.

"May?"

Her body twitched, and she instinctively looked up and into Steven's pained face. Her lips moved to greet him, but words escaped her. She settled for a small nod of acknowledgement.

"May… I'm sorry. I should have been here sooner. Are you okay?"

A choked sob escaped her throat. As if Steven had uttered the magic words, May's eyes began to tear up. "Why are you apologising?" she asked, voice wavering horribly. "It's my fault. You trusted me with this and I failed you." She swiped furiously at her eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop.

Suddenly, her arms were trapped as Steven wrapped his own around her. He said nothing – of that, she was grateful – but merely waited until she calmed down. Once the hiccups halted, he let go of her and allowed her to collect herself.

"Thanks," she murmured, straightening her clothes.

Steven shook his head. "It is I who should be thanking you. It must have been horrible down there."

May stared at the ground beneath her feet. "Do you want to know what happened?"

"Only if you're comfortable with divulging."

She rubbed her hands over her face. "Sure."

"Thank you. However, time is of the essence. I must be on my way to Sootopolis. Do you mind Flying with me?"

May held back a sigh. "Sure. Let's go." Seeing Steven hesitated, she forced her lips into a smile. "It's really fine, Steven. I love being with you."

Looking somewhat mollified, Steven nodded and settled himself once more on Skarmory's back. He held out a hand to her, providing her with a sense of déjà vu. "Skarmory here's a lot more comfortable than she looks," he assured her.

The Steel Bird ducked its head, nudging May encouragingly with her cool beak. Smile growing more genuine, May patted the Pokemon politely. "Will she be okay carrying us both, though?"

Steven frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps not… There may be another way, however. May, do you have Latios with you?"

"Um, no," she admitted. "I don't like the idea of keeping a Legendary Pokemon like Latios inside a Ball, so he just…does his own thing, I guess."

Steven withdrew something from his vest. Now that her mind was no longer clouded, May realised he had forgone his usual suit jacket lest he overheat from the sauna that was now Hoenn. He looked a lot more casual without it, something May was all for. She dragged her eyes from his dress shirt to the item he was holding for her.

She accepted the flute curiously. It was an odd lavender colour, with what looked like the wings of a plane jutting out from either side.

"That," said Steven, "is an Eon Flute. It's one of my favourite items after it was donated to a museum in Johto. I pulled a few strings because I knew it was perfect for you."

The Flute suddenly felt a lot heavier in her hands. "What does it do?"

"No matter how far you may be from one another, play that flute and Latios will surely fly straight to you. Then it can take to the sky, soaring above the land with you astride its back."

"Like before?"

Steven smiled. "Yes, just like when we first encountered Latias and Latios at Southern Island."

"Have you used it?"

"No. I have yet to see it in action."

Excitement bubbled in May's body as she gripped the Flute. Grinning, she blew into the Eon Flute.

May touched down back onto the ground with a grin. It had been so long since she had soared on the back of Latios – or Mega Latios now – that she had forgotten how utterly exciting it was. Even though the sky was pretty much on fire, Mega Latios had used its psychic powers to create a shield over them again, protecting from the intense heat as they flew. She hugged the Legendary's head as Steven descended.

"Thank you, Latios," she said. "You can go now."

The male half of the eon duo hummed before shooting off into the heavens. May watch him go with a smile before turning to observe her surroundings.

"So, this is Sootopolis," she murmured, her eyes drinking the unique town in. On the way here, she and Steven had exchanged tales. With some hesitation, she recalled the events of the Seafloor Cavern, while he had given her a rundown of Sootopolis' history. The city within a giant crater caused by a meteorite, centuries ago – the mystical city where history slumbered.

Steven wiped away the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Even here, surrounded by the ocean, it feels as if this terrible heat will burn the world away."

Unsure of what to say, May gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Steven smiled at the gesture before shaking his head. "I suppose not all hope is lost. Come, we need to visit a friend of mine – he will know what to do."

They took off at quick walk towards the Cave of Origin.

When Steven talked about his good friend, May pictured a man of high esteem like himself, dressed in semi-formal clothing who spoke somewhat stiffly. Wallace was none of these things.

The teal-haired man smiled at they approached. "Steven, I'm glad you made it. And this must be the famous May."

May barely heard the last bit, so focused was she on his bizarre outfit, which showcased half of his torso. "You're Wallace, right?" she finally forced herself to say, before the silence grew awkward.

He nodded, and his white beret didn't even slip in the slightest. "I'm also Sootopolis' Gym Leader and one of the protectors of the Cave of Origin." Pausing, he glanced at the dried up lake and the small rivers running throughout the city, a troubled frown creasing his lips. "This drought is being caused by a power emanating from the Cave… The elders from Mt. Pyre tell me you have the Blue Orb?"

Blue Orb? May was stumped for a moment before she recalled the incident on Mt. Pyre from so long ago. "Oh, yeah," she replied, her hand drifting towards her bag. "It has the power to reverse the effects of the Red Orb, right?"

"Correct. If you'll follow me…"

Steven stared at the orange and yellow sky as they walked. "The blazing sun over Sootopolis is growing even more intense… Soon all of Hoenn will be caught under its withering glare… If that were to happen…" He shook his clear of those dismal thoughts and completed the rest of the trek in silence.

May felt her dread growing with each step as she silently finished off Steven's sentence. If that were to happen, Hoenn and maybe the entire world would turn a flaming ball of heat.

They crossed a white, wooden bridge and reached a structure which definitely did not look like a cave. May had seen and been in numerous caves before – both typical and mystical – but the Cave of Origin looked more like a fancy store for antique goods.

But more importantly, there were three obstacles in their way.

"Team Magma," hissed May, her hand immediately going to her Pokeballs. Though they seemed intent of fixing their mistakes when they parted after the Seafloor Cavern, she didn't trust them to keep their words.

"Whoa, scamp!" Team Aqua's leader help up his hands in a placating gesture, momentarily covering his bare chest. It looked like someone was trying his best to keep cool. "We're not here to fight. We're here to help."

May's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Help?"

"That's right," said Tabitha, and May's fingers twitched longingly for a Pokeball. If it weren't for him… "I'm sorry for stopping you before, Trainer, but Boss would surely have died if I let your Mega Blaziken hit him."

All eyes were on May now, and she shivered under their silent judgement. "Ruffles knows how to hold back," she argued, although it sounded weak to her own ears.

Maxie shook his head. "It is irrelevant now," he said. "You did what you thought was necessary to stop me. As a sign of my apology, I'm bestowing this upon you. It is It is the fruit of our collaboration with the Devon Corporation, and it represents the height of Hoenn's technological knowledge and skill."

May was forced to remove her hands from her Pokeballs to accept the strange suit Maxie handed her. It covered every inch of her skin and was coloured red and black.

"That is the Magma Suit," explained Maxie. "It should allow you to pass through magma without repercussion… That is, if Groudon's presence hasn't increased the severity of it all." Reassuring words.

"It was meant to be for us," added Tabitha. "For when we encountered Groudon, but…"

"Wait, wait, wait," said May, eyes wide. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? You want me to go down there and face Groudon alone?" When no one said anything, May bared her teeth in a humourless grin. "You're kidding, right? Does no one realise I'm still a kid? And Steven, I know what you're going to say, but this is different. I thought I was just gonna fight Team Magma, who are human, but a Legendary Pokemon capable of destroying the world? That's insane."

"No," said Wallace, interrupting May's imminent mental breakdown. "May, you were trusted with the Blue Orb. Just as the Red Orb awakened Groudon and began its Primal Reversion, the Blue Orb will stop it and protect you from the Pokemon's powers."

"Bingo!" roared Archie. "You've hit the nail on the head, Contest Boy."

Wallace stared intently at her. "May, you are perhaps our only chance of stopping Groudon."

May hung her head. Did she even have a choice?

Of course not. Because if she didn't stop Groudon and face potential death, she and everyone on the planet would die anyway.

She exhaled, all her anxiety exiting her system as she did so. "Okay. I'll do it."

There was a collective sigh from those around her, and they converged to discuss plans. Meanwhile, Steven drew her attention by grabbing her wrist. She turned to him, a silent question on her lips.

"To think you had the Blue Orb…" His mellowed out his rueful expression. "You'll be OK. You and your Pokémon can handle it, whatever happens. I believe that."

Usually, Steven's words could motivate her to do anything. It made her believe in anything. But it seemed to fall flat today. Unable to meet his eyes, May nodded.

"No one has stepped foot in the Cave of Origin before," stated Wallace, hands on his hips. "But you must enter alone with your Pokemon, as the Blue Orb can only protect one person at a time."

"Don't worry, scamp," said Archie, grinning. "We'll be up here supporting you however we can."

Maxie stepped forward. "Child… No, I have no right to call you such. Fellow Trainer, I have caused great harm, and for that I apologize most sincerely. But now we find ourselves at an impasse, and you and your Pokémon are all that humanity has to count on in its stand against Groudon..." He clenched his fists, determined. "The fate of our world... The world upon which all humanity thrives... The fate of our world rests in your hands!"

Great. No pressure or anything, right?

Was it her, or was it getting harder to breathe? Oh, right, she was just drowning under the weight of everyone's expectations of her to save the whole damn world, when these adults themselves couldn't do it. Neither of the leaders of two criminal organisations could, nor could Hoenn's stronger Gym Leader, nor could Devon Corp's heir… No one but her, May from Littleroot Town.

"May!" called a familiar voice. May whipped around, watching in shock as Brendan of all people ran towards her. He was wearing that same old oblivious grin, the one that made May feel right at home. "I heard on the news that things were going haywire around Sootopolis. And them I saw you on the BuzzNav, May! I couldn't just sit there and do nothing when I knew you were here in the thick of it, so I came flying!" He screeched to a stop in front of her, jaw unhinged. "Bwuh?! Isn't that Team Aqua? And Team Magma?!" Poor Brendan, it looked like his eyes were about to fall straight out of his head. "May," he hissed, trying to keep his voice low. Unfortunately, it just sounded like a soft scream. "What's going on here?"

"Brendan…" May sighed, but she felt oddly calmer now. "You're such an idiot."

Rather than getting offended, Brendan simply laughed. "This is probably something way bigger than I can even imagine, isn't it? So I'm not even going to ask right now. I'm going to try to find what I can do the help and them I'm going to do my best with that. And I'm going to keep on hoping and believing that y-you'll be OK out there, May." His face grew redder and redder, and May had a feeling it wasn't due to the intense sunlight beaming down on them. "Because… Because you… You're the best friend I have!"

Did he just friend-zone himself? Typical Brendan. But May couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, B. You're a great friend."

Brendan grinned. "I could say the same for you."

May's smile dimmed. "Hey," she said, "if I don't make it—"

"But you will."

"Right. But on the _slim_ chance I don't, tell my parents I'm sorry, okay?"

"I won't need to," assured Brendan, arms crossed, "because you'll be fine. You're May, after all."

She tried her best not to break down into tears right and then. But she didn't want Brendan to see that, so she mustered what courage she could and smiled. "Of course. I'll see you soon, Brendan."

Breathing in deeply, May turned. She nodded at the others, but paused at Steven. "We'll meet again, right?" she asked, eyes stinging with unshed tears.

Steven's hand reached up to her before falling back to his side. He smiled confidently. "Of that, I have no doubt."

May kept those warm words in her heart and she stepped forward, alone, towards the Cave of Origin.

* * *

A/N: Was it sweet? Was it cheesy? Were the battle scenes up to scratch? Let me know what you think!


	6. The Sixth

The Sixth

The sixth time she saw Steven, it was when she thought it was all over.

The Sea of Origin was one of the creepiest places May had been in – and she had visited Mount Pyre. It was eerily silent, seeming almost devoid of life. Whatever Pokemon inhabited his cave (if any) had long left, unable to stand the sheer power and heat radiating from beneath. The source of which May was currently heading towards.

Ruffles huffed uneasily next to her, and May couldn't help but agree. Even without knowing what lay for her at the end, this place gave her the creeps.

The trek was quite peaceful if one ignored the constantly rumblings of the earth that worsened the deeper she travelled. No wild Pokemon or Grunts attacked her, and the path was smooth and simple. She reached the final floor within minutes, and had to grab a rocky wall to keep from tumbling as a large quake ripped through the cave. The dust cloud it kicked up invaded her lungs, making her cough violently.

Once it settled, May donned the Magma Suit in her hands. Other than the heavy helmet, it was strangely light. Small favours.

"Do you read me?" a voice said from within the helmet, making May flinch. "It is I, the great Maxie."

"Sorry," she said, "I don't know any _great_ Maxies. Just hubristic ones."

"…Our readings indicate that you have put on the suit. I presume you're about to meet Groudon?"

"Yes."

"Oi, scamp!" screamed Archie, nearly destroying May's eardrums. "See that hole in the middle of your suit? Put the Blue Orb in it. It'll protect you."

"Okay," she said, doing as he said. "Anything else?"

But it wasn't the cool voice of Maxie or the rough voice of Archie that spoke next. "May," said Steven, "take care."

Her heart lurched. "I will." She turned to Ruffles, who nodded, and they headed towards their doom.

May almost groaned when her eyes immediately landed on the pool of lava in the back of the cavern. She was expecting it, but it wasn't exactly a sight one would get accustomed to. She was still traumatised by her last encounter. At least she had a protective suit with her this time.

The same suit radiated a blue-tinged aura. It formed a sort of shield which encased her, and would hopefully protect her from the bubbling lava. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Groudon must have sensed the shining presence of the Blue Orb. The Legendary Pokemon shot up from the lava with a mighty roar, rendering May breathless. If it weren't for the suit, she would have been tossed aside by the hot wind its sheer appearance summoned.

"Trainer!" shouted Maxie. "The readings from your suit suggest that Groudon has appeared. Is my supposition correct? Does it stand before you now? You must listen... Do not waste even a single second. Leap upon Groudon's mighty back." Another earthquake shook the Cave, and May felt the full force of it due to her proximity to the source of it all. The feed from Maxie was disrupted, making his next words sound like gibberish. "Then le- take you to - dee-est... O- th- c..." The line went dead.

But it was okay. She wasn't completely alone. Above, people were waiting for her, their thoughts of her safety keeping her grounded. And down here, she had her Pokemon. May smiled at Ruffles as she withdrew him and, screaming the entire time, leaped onto Groudon's back before it could distance itself too much from her.

The giant Continent Pokemon barely registered her. It continued stomping through the molten lava as if strolling through a park. May kept expecting the waves of lava slapping against her to burn straight through her suit, but it simply slid off like water. That should have been reassuring, except, you know, any moment now the powerful Pokemon carrying her could rear back and thrash around, tossing her into the molten-hot lava like a rock. Magma suit or no, that would be the end of her.

She held onto Groudon's back for dear life, using the white spikes protruding from its neck as handholds. They reached a pocket in the Cave that was filled with ethereal power. The air practically shimmered from it, and the red crystals shooting out of the ground shone seductively. The most alluring stone of them all, though, hung from the ceiling. The glowing megalith was the cause of all the energy, and May instantly knew it would provide Groudon with incalculable power.

No. That was not happening, not if she could help it.

As soon as she spotted stable land, May jumped off of the beast's back. While it was distracted, she called out Ruffles and threw her hand in front of her face, the Mega bracelet on her wrist facing her Blaziken. The Mega Stone hanging on a chain around its neck glowed, and soon did Ruffles. With a squawk, the shell of evolution energy burst open, and out came Mega Blaziken.

May threw off her helmet, wincing as the hot air slammed into her. "Bulk Up and use High Jump Kick," she said, teeth gritted.

Ruffles tensed, Bulking Up, and sprung high up before smashing into Groudon leg-first, its momentum only increasing the power of the kick.

Groudon cried out as the attack landed, and was quick to retaliate. It stood its ground firmly, and suddenly the most vicious Earthquake May had ever experienced tore through the Cave.

Yelping, May quickly withdrew Ruffles and called out Cotton, who picked her up. They hovered in the air, avoiding the worst of the attack. "Sing to it!" she cried, shoving her helmet back on.

Her Altaria waited until the rumbles died down before Singing, the melody making Groudon drowsy. Even Legendary Pokemon abided by certain rules, and it was asleep in seconds. May breathed a sigh in relief as she signalled for Cotton to set her down.

Once her feet touched land again, May called out all her Pokemon. "Guys," she said, meeting their eyes, "this is do or die. I want you to unleash your attacks with as much gusto as you can. Dottie, Play Rough. Doe," May paused, gazing at her smallest friend uneasily. But she needed all the help she could get, and her Eevee was as pugnacious as the rest of the team despite its small stature. "Use Toxic and don't stop using Tail Whip until it wakes up. When it does, use Growl. Cotton, Dragon Dance and Sky Attack. Fang, use Venoshock after Doe gets it with Toxic. Use Acrobatics in the meanwhile. And Ruffles, Bulk Up again but use Brave Bird instead in case you miss."

Standing back, May grinned at them, eyes hard. "Make me proud."

With various calls and shrieks, her Pokemon set off.

"Cotton, Fang, attack from the back so the others don't hit you! Everyone, be careful of the lava!" Even as she said so, a column of rock and magma shot up, clipping Ruffles' side as it ascended for its Sky Attack. It winced but completed the move nonetheless. Being a Fire type, the damage was less severe than it would be for the others, but it didn't mean it got away unscathed.

May never liked seeing her Pokemon get hurt. Even in normal battles, she had difficulty refraining from spraying a Potion or feeding them a Berry whenever they incurred a wound. It was only worse now that she was burdened with the knowledge that a single slip-up could result in the death of one of her friends. And that was why she couldn't take a break and heal them; she had to keep her eyes wide for any movement from their opponent, to keep her team safe.

The massive being stirred. Dottie had just finished dishing off another Play Rough attack when Groudon's eyes slammed open.

"Dottie!" screamed May, as the rest of her Pokemon fled to a safe distance. "Fang, get him out of there!"

As per his Trainer's command, Fang did a one-eighty and flew back in Groudon's direction. Using its four large wings, it swooped beneath Dottie and, carrying the Azumarill, flew back towards May and dodged an enormous red claw in the nick of time.

May ran a quick eye over her Pokemon as they took their stances in front of her. There was barely a scratch on Dottie' thick body, despite the intensity of Playing Rough. However, her Flyers weren't doing as great. Fang and Cotton had both spent the most time as close to Groudon as possible, and their constant Sky Attacks and Acrobatics had left their bodies covered in soot and ash, and May knew they'd contract a burn sooner or later. She made a note to put a halt to the physical attacks for now.

Fortunately, Groudon wasn't doing too great, either. Though it was now awake, it had suffered immense damage from the collective assault, which was twice as powerful due to its poisoned state.

It seemed to notice that as well. Instead of retaliating, the yellow-eyed Pokemon reached upwards, its claws grazing the tip of the megalith that would revert it to its Primal form.

"No!" shouted May. She found herself grabbing a Ball from her bag, and threw it with all her might at Groudon. "I won't let you destroy this planet!"

There was a flash of light.

May held her breath.

The Ultra Ball, whole and unbroken, fell back to the ground with a cheerful click. Groudon was gone.

No, that wasn't accurate. It was still present – but only within the Ball, as May's newest Pokemon.

The brand-new Trainer of Hoenn's Continent Pokemon collapsed onto her knees in shock. "We…did it?" She looked at her team, who were standing or hovering in similar states of disbelief. "We did it. We saved the world, guys."

Her Pokemon clamoured around her gleefully. Doe jumped into her lap while Fang nipped at her hair. The others sagged with relief, the adrenaline draining from their systems. Smiling, May returned them to their Pokeballs, letting them rest. She stood and grabbed the Ultra Ball which, luckily, had avoided falling into the lava.

"Welcome to the team," she said breathlessly. Groudon merely stared at her.

The Cave started shaking. May fell back with a gasp. It felt as if several Golems were exploding or unleashing earthquakes simultaneously. Before she could rise, she was blinded by a green light. There was a bone-shaking _BANG_ , and May almost laughed at the irony of it all. She had succeeded in catching the Legendary Pokemon which threatened to end existence as she knew it, but was taken down by a combustion of light. Fantastic.

As soon as it appeared, the light vanished. Blinking the spots out of her eyes, May looked up. She was surrounded by nothing but darkness. No, wait, not darkness. There was a bit of light ahead of her, and May tried to head towards it when she realised that she wasn't standing on the rocky ground of the Cave. This was…softer?

The opening in the darkness widened, and May almost fainted when she realised she was standing in the palms of Primal Groudon. Her hand immediately sought out her belt of Pokeballs, before a realisation made her stop. Groudon was now hers, right? So it shouldn't harm her. But did Legendaries – angry ones, too – necessarily listen to puny humans?

May squeaked. To her horror, this drew Groudon's attention. Its head tilted down to gaze at her, and May tried to lean away from the set of pointy teeth that were the size of her head. But Groudon didn't swallow her whole like she thought it would. Instead, it lowered her to the ground with surprising gentleness.

The Cave was no longer pulsing with that weird light. It wasn't even surging with energy like she had first stepped foot into the cavern. All the power was gone, and the megalith looked a shade duller. Primal Groudon must have absorbed it all and evolved.

"Did you protect me?" she asked, stunned. Groudon blinked. "I'm going to take that as a yes." May returned the Legendary Pokemon and headed towards the exit, vaguely wondering how everyone would react.

Steven was the first to greet her.

May pushed open the doors of the Cave of Origin's entrance. She blinked as the sun's rays attacked her eyes, having spent the past hour in the dim cave that it almost surprised her. When her eyes adapted, the first thing she saw was Steven's speechless expression.

"Hey," she said quietly, her brown eyes glued to his blue.

They stood there quietly for a moment, enjoying each other's presences when she heard a sniffle.

"Maaaay," sobbed Brendan. "You're alive! I'm so glad!"

May turned to him, smiling exasperatedly. "I thought you'd knew I'd be okay?" she teased.

Brendan swiped at his tear-filled eyes. "I did, but then that huge beam of light erupted from the cave, and w-we were so w-worried."

"But it's over now," said Tabitha, grinning. "Thanks to our hero here."

"You have Team Magma's gratitude, Trainer." Maxie bowed his head respectfully, making May uncomfortable. Finally, he looked up at the night sky, where the green light from the Cave had burst into glowing sparkles which floated down like snowflakes. "This travesty could have ended much worse, were it not for you. However, if it weren't for me, this whole debacle could have been avoided…"

"Leader..." Tabitha gazed at Maxie steadily. "Without a doubt, you have committed an offense that can never be forgiven. You have wronged not only Team Magma but all living things on this planet, whether great or small. However, that is precisely why you must now set things right. You must continue to atone for the sins you have committed, even at the risk of your own life... To set right the wrongs you've done, without running away in fear—will you accept this responsibility?"

Maxie looked conflicted. "I suppose…you may be right. However – personally, in my case – some wrongs cannot be atoned for, no matter how you try to right them. And I have committed wrongs so great as to bring the whole world to its knees. It may be that I…" He swallowed heavily. "It may be too much to assume that I should deserve the chance to start anything over."

"Should you find the resolve to do so inside yourself, then I... Team Magma Admin Tabitha... I will serve at your side as counsel forever," the pale man declared, fists clenched with fiery determination.

"T-Tabitha... Thank you."

 _Ship it_ , thought May, as she watched the drama unfold. Sure, they seemed sincere enough, but some part of May would always suspect them. It was hard to forget the people who so wantonly hurt both people and Pokemon, regardless of their intentions.

Archie sighed. "Someday, we're gonna have to hand the world to your generation," he said, gazing at the younger trio. "Let's hope you do a better job than us."

"Trainer May, I want you to have this." Maxie held out the Red Orb. "With it, you can harness Groudon's power, should it appear again."

May nodded and accepted the item. Something on her hip twitched as she pocketed the Orb in her bag. Plucking the Ultra Ball from her belt, May held it to her eye-level and smiled. "Soon," she promised it.

Steven gasped. He stepped closer towards May, inspecting the transparent Ball. "Is that…? Did you actually _catch_ the Legendary Pokemon?"

"No way!" cried Brendan, rushing to her other side and leaning forward to catch a glimpse at Groudon. "Cool!"

Feeling self-conscious, May returned the Ball to her belt. But they were all still staring, gaping at her like a school of Magikarp. "Yeah," she said finally. "I caught it. Wasn't easy, though."

"Amazing," breathed Maxie. "Then, you can control Primal Groudon completely."

She frowned. "I guess. But I won't use it in battle unless it's an emergency." She could picture it now – a naïve Youngster would step forward and challenge with their tiny Rattata, which would disintegrate into ashes the moment Groudon appeared. Yeah, no, May had no plans to go to prison in the near future.

"Wise words," praised Steven, smiling. May felt her cheeks warm at the familiar sight.

"I wonder…" Archie eyed her speculatively before shaking his head. "Nah, no point. This might be the last time you hear from me. Later, scamp!" He walked off with a wave.

Maxie and Tabitha followed suit, making May nibble on her lip. Surely they should contact the officials? When she brought it up, though, Steven shook his head. "Team Magma and Team Aqua are made up of people with completely opposing ideals and goals. But perhaps even they can learn to meet halfway…one small concession at a time. I know it's too much to expect that everything will change at once, but… I hope this crisis might at least help take them that first vital step forward. I believe in their ability to turn over a new leaf," he confessed. "I'll have some people keep tabs on them, though, rest assured."

Despite Steven's confidence in the once-evil organisation, May remained sceptical. If any of them slipped up even once, she would pounce relentlessly.

Steven placed a hand on his hip. "People, Pokémon, nature itself… Our survival in this world depends on all of us living together in harmony. I feel I have just begun to understand that. And I am wondering how the world will continue to change from this point on…" He grinned, and May was sure her heart had melted. "It fills me with an inexplicable excitement."

"May… As you and your Pokémon live and grow in this changed world, I wonder what effect it will have on you. What will you think about? What ideals will you believe in? When we meet again, I hope you will be able to show me and my team the answers you've found. Until then," he said, calling out his Skarmory.

"You're going again?" she couldn't help but ask. "So soon? You don't…" _You don't even care about what I just went through?_ she finished off silently.

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding truly apologetic. "But I have much to attend to."

"I see," she murmured, eyes on the grass beneath her feet. "Bye, Steven."

He paused. "I'll see you again, May," he promised her.

But would he stay that time? She doubted it. Nodding, she watched Steven frown. Nonetheless, he climbed onto Skarmory's back and took to the skies.

"It's finally just the two of us," chirped Brendan, smiling. "May… Thank you for everything."

May frowned. "I only did what was necessary."

"You didn't have to," he argued. "You could have easily refused."

Not without Steven never speaking to her again. "And let the world end? Please." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"You know, I thought we were supposed to have set out from Littleroot together, but… But you, May…" Brendan sighed and straightened his white cap. "It seems like you just keep getting further and further ahead of me… I even started to feel like you'd gone somewhere I can't even reach. It's pretty lonely, you know?" Suddenly, he grinned. "Not! What would you think if I really said something like that? Haha… Anyway, you did something really amazing today, so you deserve a rest. I was planning on returning to Littleroot for a while. Did you want to come with?"

May smiled tiredly. "Sure. It'll be nice seeing my parents again. What Flyers do you have on you?"

"My Swellow," he said proudly.

"Hm…" They could Fly on their individual Pokemon, but May really wanted to catch up with her best friend. She smirked. "Hey, Brendan, how would you like to ride on the back of a Legendary?"

Brendan shivered. "Groudon can fly, too?"

That'd be an interesting image. She shook her head.

"You mean…?" Brendan's eyes widened.

Eyes sparkling, May took out her flute. "What do you know of Latios?"

* * *

A/N: I know the main pairing is Steven/May, but Brendan is so adorable and comforting. He's like a puppy.

I've always wondered why, in the games, all the criminals are let off pretty much scot-free. Like... A lot of trouble could be saved if Officer Jennys of the Pokeverse were actually utilised. But then they wouldn't have any reboots, I guess.

Thanks for reading! It's not over yet, folks, so stick around. :)


	7. The Seventh (part 1)

The Seventh:

Part I

The seventh time May encountered Steven was when she was given one of the biggest shocks of her life.

Brendan pretty much had a fit when Latios landed in front of them. He only grew more excited as they flew over Hoenn, waving his arms about crazily and almost falling off were it not for Latios' psychic abilities tethering them to safety.

"This is _so_ amazing," he gushed over the wind. "May, do you travel like this all the time?"

"This is only my third time," she admitted, gazing at the full moon they passed by. "Well, two, since the very first was with Latias, which was when I was with Steven."

"With Steven Stone?" he asked. May wasn't sure if she was hearing right, but Brendan sounded…uncomfortable. "Why?"

"Oh, uh, we keep running into each other. The first time, Latios came to us for help. And then the second time was because we were both heading to Sootopolis. He gave me the Eon Flute, as a matter of fact."

"I se— Oh my god! Is that a flock of Pelippers? May, we should totally fight them!"

"Um, we should totally not!" she snapped, feeling as if she were reprimanding a child.

"But it'd be so cool! Don't you want to see what Latios can do?"

May hesitated. Sure, it'd be nice, but… "You do realise there's a good chance Latios will be too busy defending himself to protect us, right?"

"Oh. Right." Brendan chuckled sheepishly, and the slight movement behind her told May he was rubbing the back of his neck.

May rolled her eyes, but immediately perked up when the familiar sight of her village began to appear.

May's and Brendan's parents almost collapsed then and there when they landed. It was hard not to notice when a huge Legendary Pokemon flew over your house and landed right on your doorstep. Her dad stormed out, Pokeball in hand, when he noticed May and swept her into a hug. Her mom soon joined them, and it was one big family hug.

"We saw it all on the news," whispered Mom. "We were so worried."

"What happened, May?" asked Dad, breaking out of the hug and running a critical eye over her.

She smiled wearily. "Let's go inside first."

All of them – May's family as well as Brendan's – sat down around her dining table and talked. Everyone besides Dad looked pale as sheets as she told her tale. Petalburg's Gym Leader, however, was a red with rage.

"They made you go in there alone?" he demanded, slamming a fist on the table. "What the hell were they thinking?"

"It was the only way," protested May. "The Blue Orb could only protect one person."

"So?" he scoffed. "One of the others could have taken the Orb and marched right in there themselves. They all have much more battle experience than you, May. You could have _died_."

Normally, whenever her dad took that tone with her, May would instantly get riled up and start spitting fire. But she was so tired, and so sick of fighting today. "Yeah, but I didn't," she sighed instead. "Besides, Steven made it seem like I have this connection with Pokemon – mine especially – so he declared I'd be fine. It's true, in a way. I mean, I caught Groudon in the end."

"…What?"

"Yeah," she said nonchalantly. Shrugging, May pulled the Ultra Ball from her belt, revealing a sleepy Groudon. "It protected me from becoming blind afterwards."

The room was so silent, they could hear a pin drop. A dull thud signalled that Professor Birch really did faint this time.

Brendan's mom was the first to break the silence. "Wow," she said shakily. "May, you've become an amazing Trainer."

Her own mom nodded. "I can hardly recognise you anymore."

May smiled. "Thank you. Sorry, but it's been a long day. Mind if I head to bed?"

"Of course not!" assured Mrs Birch.

"Sleep well," her mom told her, squeezing her hand tightly.

Nodding, May yawned and walked up the stairs. She couldn't wait to reunite with her bed; it had been so long. It was a bit hard to sleep with the knowledge that everyone downstairs would be talking about her for the next hour or so.

* * *

It was with some reluctance that her parents allowed May to depart the next day. When she told them she had to return to Sootopolis for the Rain Gym, her dad's eyes glinted dangerously and he asked her to relay a message for him. "Tell him Norman would like to have a word from him soon concerning his questionable decision-making skills," her dad growled. Even though the animosity wasn't directed towards her, May couldn't help but grow anxious. Poor Wallace.

May extracted the Flute from her bag and placed it against her lips. Before she could blow into it, though, Professor Birch barrelled out of his lab, crying, "May! Wait!"

Obliging, May waited for the professor to stop before her and regain his breath. "Thank goodness I caught you in time!" he gasped. "There have been recent reports on foreign Pokemon returning to Hoenn after the changes in climate because of Groudon's awakening. As such, your current Pokedex won't do. I've already upgraded Brendan's, so let me do yours."

May handed the device over and watched as the professor fidgeted with it. He pressed several buttons and typed in several phrases, muttering all the while. Once he deemed it satisfactory, he returned it to May with a smile.

"Your findings are coming along nicely. I can't wait to see what new Pokemon you run into!"

"Thank you, Professor. Who knows?" she continued, grinning. "I might run into some more Legendaries."

Professor Birch began to guffaw, pleased, before he looked over her shoulder and froze. He covered his faux pas with an unconvincing cough. "Yes, well," he stammered, "we wouldn't want you to be in any more danger, now would we?"

Ah. Her dad must have been giving him the evil eye. "Of course," she said sweetly. "But some are really nice. Like Latios."

Hoenn's Professor looked like a child on Christmas morning. "Are you going to summon it?" he asked gleefully.

May played the Flute in response. Over the wondrous tune, she could have sworn she heard the man squeal.

* * *

"So," began Wallace, loud and clear despite the waterfall roaring behind him, "the Hero of Hoenn finally arrives. I'm surprised – I thought you would have been here earlier."

May smiled. "I needed some R'n'R," she confessed.

"For only one night?" Wallace's teasing tone was replaced with one of concern. "Are you sure that's enough? You've been through quite a lot."

She kept her eyes on the trees decorating the gym, vaguely noting how out-of-place they were. "Keeping busy is what keeps me whole."

"I see." Pity seeped into Wallace's blue eyes. Huh, he looked a lot like Lisia, now that she thought about it. "Then, shall we get started? Ladies first."

A shadow of a smirk appeared on May's features as she threw out a Pokeball. "Go get 'em, Dottie."

It was clear why Wallace was the most challenging Gym Leader in the Hoenn region. Despite his less than impressive choice of Pokemon type, they each had a skill which would make any Trainer tear their hair out in frustration. His Luvdisc knew the move Attract, making half of May's team useless. Fortunately, this limitation did not extend to her female Azumarill.

May held a hand mid-battle. "Wait," she said. "Why doesn't Attract work on the same sex? Are all Pokemon heterosexual?"

Although thrown off by the sudden halt, Wallace quickly recovered and gave the question some thought. "That seems really unlikely," he said. "Maybe a large percentage of Pokemon are heterosexual or bisexual, and the rest either homosexual or asexual? And that's why when Attract is used on the opposite sex, it can still fail."

"Wow. How would you even find out your Pokemon's sexuality?" It'd be handy to know for future battles.

Wallace rubbed his chin. "Maybe use Attract on all of them and see how they react?"

May grinned. "Guess we know what we're doing post-battle."

"Naturally." Wallace mirrored her grin. "May we resume?"

Was that pun on purpose? Eyes narrowed, she nodded and the battle began once more.

Wallace's Luvdisc went down quickly after a few shots from Dottie, and he soon sent out Whiscash, which was slightly more difficult opponent. Its high Defense allowed it to take a few hits and dish out a Zen Headbutt as well as an Earthquake.

With a click of her tongue, May switched out her Azumarill for her Crobat. "Fang, use Toxic on the water."

Fang chittered and flew over the pool of water and began to ooze globs of poison into it. She felt somewhat guilty, but knew several Antidotes would cleanse the water in a jiffy. The Whiscash, which was so agile and quick in the pool, slowed down as it flailed in the polluted water.

Wallace threw an arm out. "Get out of there, Whiscash!"

"End it with Venoshock!" yelled May.

The Ground-Water hybrid leapt out of the water, but Fang was faster. Whiscash just managed to reach the glass surface of the floor before it fainted.

Without the water to swim in, Wallace's Pokemon became severely handicapped. They were all taken down by her team, with varying levels of struggle. Milotic was the stubbornest of all, as well as the most mesmerising. May lost a few precious seconds as she gaped at the beautiful sea-snake, which Wallace capitalised on.

"My darling Milotic, dive in the water!"

Now May was gaping for a different reason. Was he crazy? Why would he hurt his Pokemon like that? But she stayed wary nonetheless.

Worse still, the water was a venomous shade of purple, making it even more impossible to spot Milotic. By the time they spotted it, it was too late.

"Use Ice Beam!"

Milotic lunged out of the water, shooting an Ice Beam from its mouth. Fang tried to evade, but Milotic wouldn't relent, perhaps avenging its fallen friends. May's returned her fastest Flyer before it could hit the floor. "Good work, Fang." She smiled at the tired bat. "Rest now."

As May contemplated who to bring out next, Wallace looked to Milotic. "Use Recover to replenish your health," he told it.

Humming, Milotic closed its eyes as a bright light enveloped its massive body. When it faded, Milotic looked unharmed, as if it had just been brought out onto the battlefield. However, its body flashed purple as it shivered, telling May that it was still poisoned.

Good. She could work with this. Since its Defence was halved from the poison, it would probably only take two hits before it fainted.

Grimacing, May threw out a Ball. "Your turn again, Dottie! Play Rough!"

Wallace threw his arms over his head, the bangles on his wrist jingling. "Use your Disarming Voice to counter it!"

May's fists clenched. "Stay out of hearing range," she told Dottie. "When it starts to die down, attack."

Her Azumarill nodded and stayed by her side, avoiding the danger zone of Milotic's cry. The moment it closed its mouth, Dottie leapt towards it, hopping on the circular platforms littering the pool. Unable to dodge in time, Milotic took the hit, curling up its body to minimise the damage.

"Don't stop till it faints!" ordered May.

Although it was a Tank, it was poisoned, and Dottie's relentless hits knocked it out quickly. Milotic fell back with a cry, and May sighed in relief.

Wallace smiled sadly as he withdrew his last Pokemon. "You performed magnificently, Milotic." He looked up from the Luxury Ball. "As did you, May. Bravo!" He paused. "Though, you did ruin my glorious pool…"

May laughed nervously. "Sorry. I can lend you some Antidotes, if you want?"

He waved her off. "I can purchase more than enough. No, I now realize now your authenticity and magnificence as a Pokémon Trainer. Steven was right about you."

Wallace smiled. "Yes, we're very close friends." He walked around the pool towards her, elaborating. "He speaks highly of you, and now I see why. I find much joy in having met you and your Pokémon. You've proven yourself worthy of the Rain Badge. Accept it. Having that Badge assures you full obedience of all your Pokémon to every command you make."

He stopped before her, hand outstretched. On his palm was the Badge – three raindrops linked together, each various shades of blue and pink. May tried not to a pull a face as she took the Badge and pinned it to her bag. Whenever she would look at the Badge, all she could picture would be Wallace and how the colours matched his garish outfit perfectly.

"Wallace, if you don't mind me asking, how did you and Steven become friends?" They were just so _different_.

"Hm?" Wallace rest his hands on his bare hips. "It was probably around a year ago, when we first began our journeys as Trainers. I remember initially taking him as someone of shady spy, or a person being controlled by a Pokemon. He was so stoic and robotic that I felt something was up." He shrugged. "But that was just who he was. An apathetic idiot, but a kind one."

May inspected him carefully. "Did you love him?"

"Did? I still do."

Oh god, no. "So we're rivals now?" she asked, voice low.

"What? Oh!" Wallace dissipated the tense air by bursting into laughter. "Oh, May, no. I love him now like a brother. When we were kids, though, I had a crush on him, but that died whenever he spent less time listening to me than he did caressing rare stones," he said dryly.

Yeesh. "Uh, he doesn't really seem like the type to do that."

"Not anymore, no," he admitted. He held her gaze, and said, "But that might just be because of a certain someone."

May recoiled. "Me? Are you serious? He- No." She shook her head furiously. "There's no way he…"

Wallace's features softened. "Have you told him yet?"

She gazed at the transparent floor and at the stream of water several floors down. "No. There was no good time."

He made a sympathetic noise. "I can't tell you what to do, May, but it's best to get things off your chest before everything blows up in your face." Suddenly, he brightened. "I know! You should fight him."

"…I'm sorry?"

"Yes, yes. Once you defeat the Elite Four, battle him and confess!"

"B-But why?!"

Wallace grinned. "Battling is one of the best ways Trainers can communicate with each other. It's perfect for an idiot like Steven."

May was still rather nonplussed. "But why after the Elite Four?"

"Oho," chuckled Wallace. "You'll see."

* * *

He was the Champion.

Steven Stone was the Champion of Hoenn's Pokemon League.

"No way," she breathed.

 _Wallace, you piece of…_

Hoenn's strongest Trainer smiled from the other side of the cold, dimly lit room. "Indeed. Welcome, May. I've been waiting for you."

May didn't reciprocate his geniality. "Why didn't you tell me you were Champion?"

"It's not exactly something I can bring up casually," he said, twisting one of the rings on his fingers.

She sighed, forcing herself to calm down. "Right. Sorry. But you must be strong. So why"–May forced down the hiccup threatening to bubble up in her throat–"why did you send me to deal with Team Magma?"

Steven sighed. "As champion, it is my duty to assist with whatever the Pokemon Association orders me to. At that time, it was to help the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four to calm down both people and Pokemon who were panicking during Groudon's rising. Also…" He ran a hand through his blue hair. "I was tracking down leads and rounding up several Magma Grunts."

Heart heavy, May was forced to lay down before her body forced her to do so. She pressed her cheek against the cool tiles and waved off Steven's startled look. "I'm just tired. This is a lot to swallow, you know?" When Steven still looked uncertain, May mustered up a smile. "When the world gets too much to handle, sometimes you need to stop and take a breath. Join me, Champion?"

Huffing a laugh, Steven came to sit beside her. "Anything for you, May."

They stayed like that for a while, resting silently and simply _existing._ May closed her eyes as she kept her breaths steady. She was ready – ready to battle Steven, and tell him how she felt about him.

"Steven? Let's go."

* * *

A/N: Birch is one of my favourite professors. He's just so goofy and fun to write about. How this man became a father, I don't know…

Not much of Steven in this chapter (not directly, at any rate) but this will be rectified in the next chapter! YAY, CONFESSION TIME!


	8. The Seventh (part 2)

**A/N:** I haven't visited in months, so imagine my surprise when I check on my stories and see how many reviews _Chance Encounters_ managed to garner in the time I was away! Thank you for all your lovely reviews, and for waiting so patiently!

(P.S. Guest named Nick, the wording of your demands/questions really leaves something to be desired. The first chapter pretty much answers all of them, so why not just throw caution to the wind and plow right into it?)

* * *

The Seventh:

Part II

If she was honest with herself, May was extremely pumped for their upcoming match. She'd only seen Steven battle once, but it was far too short and far too chaotic for her to actually watch him properly. But this? This would be burned into her memory for years to come.

"Show me what you've learned on your journey, May," said Steven, smiling. "Has it woken something inside you? In turn, my Pokémon and I will show what _we've_ learnt."

May grinned as adrenaline began to surge through her. "Champions first."

Huffing a laugh, Steven obliged and threw a Pokéball into the air. "Let's start off with someone you're familiar with. Skarmory, go!"

The only one in her team who could outmatch Skarmory with no problem was her starter. "Ruffles, Mega Evolve and use Blaze Kick!" she yelled, clenching her hand into a fist as she shone the Key Stone towards him.

A lot of trainers would have flailed at the mention of Mega Evolution, but Steven wasn't like other trainers. He kept a calm and cool head even as his opponent's Pokémon was enveloped in a blinding blanket of light. "Skarmory, attack it with Aerial Ace while it transforms!"

Steven's Skarmory released a tinny screech as it dove towards Ruffles, who had just finished evolving. While the Steel bird had the advantage of distraction, Mega Blaziken was still faster. It dodged the hit at the last second, sending Skarmory colliding into the floor. A lighter bird would have merely skimmed the ground before taking flight once more, but Skarmory had the misfortune of being made out of stiff metal rather than yielding flesh.

The tables turned. Ruffles lunged at the disoriented Pokémon, smashing its flaming leg straight into its opponent. Skarmory squawked as it tried to fly out of the way, but it simply couldn't outmatch Mega Blaziken's speed, and was sent careening as the hit landed.

When the smoke cleared, Skarmory was still standing, albeit very weakly. Soot covered parts of its body as it glared at Ruffles, who met the glower head-on.

"Sturdy, huh?" muttered May.

Steven smiled grimly. "Spread Spikes all over their side of the field, Skarmory. Then use Toxic."

"Oh, no you don't! Ruffles, run up to it and blast it with a Flamethrower!"

Normally, Skarmory would have gotten an attack in first, as all it had to was wave its wing and all of a sudden dozens of steel spikes would decorate the area near May's feet. But that was if Mega Blaziken's Blaze Speed Boost ability didn't let it out-speed almost every Pokémon it could possibly face.

She informed Steven so as he recalled his fainted Skarmory. "It was a good try, though," she commented, smiling.

"I should expect nothing less of you, May," he said ruefully. "But it's far from over. Claydol, you're next!"

May's jaw clenched. She knew Claydol was part Ground, but she wasn't too sure what its other Typing was. Ghost, was it? She'd find out soon enough. "Dottie," she called, summoning her Water Type, "crush it with Waterfall."

"Put up a barrier with Reflect," ordered Steven, his hands outstretched with his palms facing towards her, almost as if he himself was erecting a shield. "Then use Extrasensory."

Dottie's EV training boosted its Speed stat incredibly, but it still wasn't enough to reach Claydol in time. The Reflect was put in place just as the Waterfall attack smashed into the Ground-Psychic Pokémon, draining it of its strength almost completely. Unfortunately, it wasn't down yet.

"Use another Waterfall before the Extrasensory hits you!"

"You can do it, Claydol," encouraged Steven.

Both Pokémon released their long-range attacks at the same time, but while Dottie still stood afterwards, Claydol was sprawled against the floor, spent.

The next Pokémon Steven sent out was a grumbly Aggron. May smirked. Too easy. Even with the Reflect still up, Dottie easily took down the Steel-Rock Type with a shattering Superpower, knocking it down in one hit. The same thing happened with Steven's Cradily, but his Armaldo finally got rid of Dottie. May responded by drawing out Ruffles, whose Sky Uppercut finished off what Dottie couldn't.

"Down to my last Pokémon," declared Steven. Despite his words, he looked excited. "I've been saving the best for last. You know what's coming next, don't you?"

She nodded, muscles tense. "Your Metagross, right?"

"Exactly. Come on out, Metagross!"

May swallowed heavily as she stared into the red, angry eyes of Steven's ace. "Ruffles? Time for a one-hit K.O. Flare Blitz. On my signal."

Steven removed his stickpin from his breast pocket, and the iridescent gleam told May it was a Key Stone. "The sparkle of the stone shall be our bond," he chanted, bringing it before his lips as if it were a microphone. "Metagross, Mega Evolve!"

"Now!" shouted May.

Ruffles dashed forwards as Steven's stickpin radiated with light. The light grew, wrapping itself around Metagross, before clearing in a burst.

Mega Metagross was a sight to behold. No longer were it and its four limbs bound to the ground. Now it levitated freely, directed ahead as if ready to shoot forth a beam of sheer light and power that would destroy everything in its wake.

And then it was on fire.

A minor explosion rocked the room as Ruffles' attack landed. Smoke streamed steadily from the two Pokémon, and May held her breath as it cleared. There was a figure laying on the floor – no, two. It had been a double K.O.

Her breathing stopped for just a moment as realisation sunk in. May had won. She won the Pokémon League Championship.

She eyed Steven warily. "You didn't go easy on me, did you?"

Steven shook his head slowly, looking a little dazed. "No," he said softly, "I didn't."

Oh my god. So she really did win. "Yes!" she shouted, thrilled. She threw a fist in the air, grinning widely.

"You've bested me." Steven recalled his fallen Metagross, while May did the same with Ruffles. "Just as I've come to expect. May, you truly are an excellent trainer. Congratulations!"

His disappointment melted away, making room for something warmer and gentle. "Thank you. I wanted to learn how you felt about this world, what kinds of ideals you developed with your Pokémon. I think I found the answer in our battle. The feelings you have for your Pokémon – and the way that your Pokémon gave their all in battle in response to those feelings – those two together created a great power. That's how you seized victory today. I felt a thrill of excitement in me when we first met, and now I know for sure that feeling was not misplaced."

Steven stood before her, his eyes warming her entire body. "May, you are rightfully the Hoenn region's new Pokémon League Champion. There's no one else I'd rather lose to," he added, smiling wryly.

May breathed in deeply. "There's something I need to tell you," she said, mustering all the confidence in her body.

"What is it?"

"I'm–"

"May!" called a voice that belonged to her soon-to-be-unconscious best friend. "May, before you fight the Champion, I have some advice—! Geh!" Brendan skidded to a stop, narrowly avoiding a collision with her, as he stared at the two of them in disbelief. "Steven Stone is the Champion?! And the way the room looks…" He gazed around them wildly, noting the cracks in the infrastructure and the dust and dirt littering the floor. "Don't tell me it's over already."

Despite how tempted she was to send her clenched fist into her neighbour's noggin, May couldn't help but laugh at Brendan's expression. "Afraid so, B. Thanks for the advice, though," she added with a smirk.

"Oh," he murmured, looking faint. "No problem."

Professor Birch came through the door next. "See, Brendan? Didn't I tell you? May did just fine."

Brendan couldn't pry his gaze away from her. "Did- Did you win?" he asked.

May grinned. "You're looking at Hoenn's youngest Champion." She glanced at Steven. "I am the youngest, right?"

The previous Champion nodded. "Seems as if you took that title from me, too." His words sounded bitter, but Steven looked far from so. He looked…relieved? What?

The professor shot her a proud look. "Congratulations, May. Though I can't say I'm too surprised, considering your family."

May straightened. "Thank you, Professor!"

"May. No." Steven coughed delicately behind his hand. "Champion, I need you to come with me."

Nodding, May followed Steven up the stairs. A third set of footsteps echoed behind her, and they turned to see Brendan had automatically trailed after her.

Steven paused at the top. "I'm very sorry," he said stiffly. "But only a Trainer who has successfully become the Champion may go beyond this point. You'll need to wait outside with the professor."

"What?" barked Brendan, looking fiercer than May had ever seen him. Recoiling at his own tone, he scrambled to compose himself. The teen forced an uncomfortable chuckle. "Just kidding. It's okay! It's fine! Rules are rules, right?" He turned to May, calming down slightly. "Honestly, May, congratulations. I'll… I'll see you later, yeah?"

Her heart broke, seeing her best friend looking like an abandoned Growlithe. "Always, B," she said gently, smiling. When Brendan nodded, although somewhat reluctantly, May turned around once more. Steven stared at them with a strange look in his eye, but continued walking after she sent him an inquisitive look.

"This is a lot like how we first met, isn't it?" reflected May. "You leading me somewhere and all. Though I hope there are no eerie murals depicting the end of the world this time."

Steven chuckled. "Fortunately, no. This," he said, stopping in front of a large screen stuck to the furthest wall, "is where we maintain the records of Pokémon that prevailed through the harshest of battles. It is here that League Champions are honoured." He smiled. "That means you."

Steven stepped closer towards the semicircular machine embedded into the bit of wall beneath the giant screen. Along the rim of the machine were several round niches, the perfect size for Pokéballs. "We'll use this machine to record your name and the names of the partners who battled along with you to triumph over the Pokémon League."

May enlarged her Pokéballs and deposited them in five of the six openings. They lit up briefly as the Pokémon within were registered in the system. One by one, it showcased her team, who were healed back to full health.

"You only used five Pokémon?" asked Steven, eyebrows raised. "And neither of your Legendaries?"

"Ah, yeah. I only have five Pokémon besides Latios and Groudon, and using them would feel way too much like cheating."

He gazed at her wonderingly. "You're a strange one, M- Champion."

May's brow wrinkled with worry. "May. Keep calling me May. My becoming Champion doesn't change our relationship whatsoever, okay?"

"Of course. My apologies."

Speaking of relationships… May swallowed back her unease. "Steven. Remember what I said before? How I needed to tell you something?"

Steven peered at her curiously. "What is it?"

May felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze. "I'm…" She inhaled slowly. "I'm in love with you."

Steven appeared to have turned into stone. He was frozen stiff, mouth agape, and looked like a particularly handsome statue. "I'm sorry…?" he managed to utter.

Well, this was off to a great start. But it was okay. She was May of Littleroot Town, Conqueror of Groudon and newly initiated Champion of the Hoenn League. She could do this.

"I've fallen for you the moment I met you," she admitted, her determined eyes never leaving his shocked ones. "And I haven't stopped since. It's like- It's like I'm drawn to you."

"May…" Steven looked down at her, eyes gut-wrenchingly sad. "I'm sorry. I don't… I can't. I'm sorry."

May felt as if she had taken a Mach Punch to the chest. She knew there was a chance she'd be rejected, but not so quickly, not so half-heartedly. Her eyes became flint. "I see," she said evenly. "Goodbye, Steven." She turned to go.

"May, wait—"

She paused in her steps at the sheer desperation radiating in Steven's voice. "Time," she said softly, head high and facing away from him. "I need time."

May headed out of the Hall of Fame alone. This time, Steven didn't try to stop her.

* * *

Brendan was the first to greet her.

"May!" he called, practically leaping off of his seat by the door and rushing towards her. "Where did you go? What was it like? Are you the official Champion now?" Brendan's rapid-fire questions screeched to a halt as he noticed her sombre demeanour. "May, what's wrong?"

"Brendan?" she said quietly. "What are you doing here?"

He twiddled his thumbs. "I just thought that, you know, since we started this journey together, we should finish it together… But really, are you okay?"

May mustered up a small, sad smile. "Just tired. Defeating the Elite Four and Hoenn's Champion in one day takes a lot out of you."

Brendan frowned, eyes dim with concern. "I see… I guess you're not in the mood for a battle, then?"

Despite the situation, May couldn't help but snort in amusement. Typical Brendan. "Not now, no."

"Hm... Aha!" He snapped his fingers, grinning. "How 'bout a bike ride?"

"A bike ride?"

"Yeah! All the way back to Littleroot!"

May massaged the bridge of her nose wearily. "Brendan, you do realise there's an ocean separating Ever Grande City and Littleroot, right?"

Brendan was unfazed. "That's what makes it fun!"

"What."

"I'm kidding, May. We can Fly part of the way and ride the rest." His brow crinkled with worry. "Revisiting the sites and places you've travelled to might cheer you up."

May sighed. This boy was too nice to her. "Sure," she said. "But let's grab a bite from Mauville first."

It was late in the afternoon when they hopped onto their bikes. They sped down the bike trail connecting Mauville and Slateport, Surfed to Petalburg and resumed their (surprisingly short) bike-ride once more.

"We did more Flying and Surfing than we did biking," Brendan murmured, his voice carried by the wind.

May smiled – a genuine one this time. "You didn't plan this through, did you?"

The burning red of Brendan's ears was all the reply she needed.

Still, she was immensely grateful for her best friend. He was right – the bike-ride was slightly cathartic. The sun was beginning to dip back into the horizon, warming her but not uncomfortably so as she cruised through the small woods. It was a lovely day, perfect for mending her broken heart.

"This is our stop," said Brendan.

They were at Route 103, where they had first set out for their journey in Hoenn. Wingulls and Taillows perched in the trees above them, while Zigzagoons and Poocheanas ran around in the tufts of tall grass nearby. They mostly left May and Brendan alone, probably sensing the powerhouses tucked away in their Pokéballs.

"Why here?" she asked, dismounting from her bike.

Brendan swapped his helmet for his iconic white beanie. "This is where we had our first battle," he said, nodding to the small pool of water almost hidden by the bushes.

Nostalgia swelled in her heart. She glanced at Brendan, whose happy and calm mood was slowly affecting her. She grabbed a Ball from her belt. "Then how about a battle? For old time's sake."

When her best friend's face lit up, May knew she had made the right choice.

The next day, Brendan's smile was nowhere to be seen.


	9. The Eighth

**A/N:** Woo! Time for the Delta Episode!

Also, a special shout-out for the sudden influx of readers and reviewers. As Steven would (probably) say: you guys rock!

* * *

The Eighth

Her parents were overjoyed with her victory, of course, even if they weren't too surprised. Like the other night, both May's and Brendan's families had gathered together to listen to the tale of how she conquered the Hoenn Pokémon League.

May was many things, but a good storyteller was not one of them. Nevertheless, they listened with avid attention, and she was pretty sure Brendan was jotting down notes in his mind.

"What about the Champion?" asked Professor Birch, leaning towards her excitedly. "How was your battle with the strongest trainer in the region?"

May lowered her gaze to the dining table. "Slightly harder than the rest, but I beat him in the end."

"Details!" begged her mother, grinning.

May forced herself to loosen her jaw as she gave them a very watered down version of her battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. She gave no inclination that anything unprofessional occurred down in that hall. Everyone accepted her story easily—why would they think otherwise?—but from the corner of her eye, she noticed Brendan's uneasy frown. Her heart thundered against her chest for a few beats before she assured herself that it was nothing. Really.

When dinner was over and Brendan's family had left, her parents began to bicker. Well, began probably wasn't accurate – it seemed like they had been arguing for a while now. They probably thought she couldn't hear anything from her room but boy, were they wrong.

"I can't _believe_ you," hissed her mother, causing May to flinch. Her mom was a total sweetheart! Dad must have seriously screwed up. Reminding herself that she was worried and not just nosy, May crept out of her room and peeked through the entrance of the staircase.

Dad was still seated by the dining table, his head bowed over his cup of tea. "I'm sorry, June, but I'm a Gym le—"

"Don't give me that excuse again," she snapped, arms crossed as she stood in front of him. "It's bad enough we missed our anniversary this year with all the moving, but when I purchase tickets for an event that occurs once every ten years? Norman, how could you?"

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Dad raised his head, resolute eyes holding his wife's disappointed ones. "You know I don't break my promises."

Mom sighed. "Okay. But it's going to have to be a good one – and not the kind where we set off for another region in search of a rare Pokémon," she noted wryly.

Smiling, Dad rose from his seat and walked over to deliver her a tight hug. "Of course. This will be all about you."

That was all May wanted to see. She hastily backed into her room before she witnessed something that would send her running to the closest therapist. Still, she couldn't help but envy her parents and their unfailing love for one another. A flash of steel blue flicked through her mind, and May squeezed her eyes shut in order to drive the sight away.

Despite being home and reuniting with her bed once more, she didn't sleep well that night.

When she woke up the next day, the tension between her parents had mostly dissipated. Whatever was left was so thin and subtle that May probably wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't eavesdropped the previous night.

"Morning, sweetie," greeted Mom. "In order to celebrate your victory, we have a gift for you."

May glanced over her shoulder as she rummaged through the fridge. "Really?" she said, grabbing a carton of OJ. "What is it?"

Dad handed her a pair of tickets that glistened as if they were made of gold itself. "These are tickets to the Littleonid shooting star show presented at the Mossdeep Space Centre," he said, smiling slightly. "Why don't you invite that young man Brendan along with you?"

"You mean, like, on a date?" she asked, grimacing.

Dad's eyes narrowed. "You know what? I changed my mind. Go with your mom." He turned to said woman. "Sorry, dear, I have to rush back to the Gym. Thank you for taking care of the house, as always."

Mom smiled crisply. "Of course, _dear_. Have a safe trip."

May shivered, and her dad—the fearsome Norman of Petalburg Gym—seemed to cringe as he hurriedly left the house.

"Those tickets were originally meant for us," admitted Mom, watching the door close firmly. "They were so difficult to get, too…"

"You can still go, Mom," offered May, tracing a finger around the rim of her glass cup. "Just with me."

Mom smiled tiredly. May finally saw where she got it from. "It's okay. You really should go with Brendan, though," she added with a wink. "I'm sure he'll be over the moon."

May winced. "Mom, we're not like that."

"Really?" she asked, genuinely surprised. "But why? He's so sweet."

"He's, ah, not my type."

"Then who is?"

Someone who had no idea what casual wear was, who wore a suit every time she saw him. Someone who was brave and kind, who loved Pokémon and would protect them at any cost. Someone with an odd passion for stones and rocks, who was once the strongest Trainer in the region…

May gripped her cool glass of juice as she said, "Doesn't matter." She downed the last of her drink before placing it in the sink. "I'll ask B, because he's my best friend. Not as a date, though!"

"If you say so. Bye!"

"See you." With a sigh, May called out her Eevee. She scooped it up in her arms and stroked it as she headed outside.

She was immediately greeted by a fierce woman.

"Whoa!" she said. "Are we in sync or what? I was just thinking about you." She cocked her head to the side, her the ends of her bobbed hair brushing against her shoulder. "This is our first meeting, right?"

"Um, yes," replied May, her hands on her hips as Doe dropped to the grassy ground. "Who are you?"

"I'm Zinnia." Zinnia smiled, and the sight was oddly unsettling. "I know all about you, of course. May, the new Pokémon League Champion."

"How do you even know that?" she asked warily. Almost no one should have known, especially so soon after her victory.

Zinnia bared her sharp teeth in a grin. "I have my sources. You're even one of the special few who get to use Mega Stones to get closer to their Pokémon, now aren't you?" Her eyes darted to the bangle on May's wrist, a hungry look washing over her features.

May tensed, her hand clenching a Pokéball. Doe, by her side, growled warningly. Before a fight could erupt, though, something by Zinnia's feet purred. May's eyes darted downwards, and was mildly surprised to see a small Whismur clutching Zinnia's ankle. The gentle creature was probably the last Pokémon May imagined a woman like Zinnia would choose to bond with.

Zinnia gazed down at the whimpering rabbit. "I know," she said, tone much softer than May had heard from her so far. "I'll leave it for now." She glanced around them, her tattered cloak swinging as she looked from right to left. "Still, Littleroot is a n-i-i-ce town, isn't it?" she almost sang. "The people here are n-i-i-ce, too. Like that neighbour of yours."

She could sense a threat any day of the week. "What are you planning?" May asked, voice low and dangerous.

"Oops!" Zinnia replied instead, shooting her a saccharine smile. "Didn't mean to run off my mouth like that. We should keep our first meeting short and sweet, right? See you soon, May!"

"Wait!" Before May could even take a step forward, Zinnia was already out of town. She was running faster than any normal human should be capable of. Who the hell was she?

And what did she do to Brendan?

Anxious and supremely concerned, May dashed to her best friend's house. Upon knocking on the door, she was greeted by a panicky Mrs Birch, which did not help her current mood.

"Oh, May," she breathed, pressing a hand against her chest. "Thank goodness you're here. Brendan was attacked!"

"Mom, please," Brendan sighed from the couch. "I was just pushed down – that's all. Hey, May," he said. "Did you see a wild lady run by?"

"Yeah," she admitted, leaning on the doorway. "Said her name's Zinnia. What happened?"

Grimacing, Brendan grumbled, "I was heading out, when she took me by surprise and shoved me. Before I knew it, my Key Stone was gone. I tried to fight for it back, but she was too strong." Her best friend dropped his gaze, unable to look her in the eye. "She wiped me out."

May scowled, her hands curling into tight fists. "Don't worry, Brendan. I'll get it back for you."

"As expected of the Champion," he teased. "I heard her muttering to her Whismur as she left, though. She said she was going to hit Petalburg next. Be careful, okay?"

"When am I not?" she asked, smiling.

He winced in response.

Being the mature girl that she was, May stuck out her tongue at him. "I'm off to Petalburg now," she told him. "I'll see you later, Brendan, with your Key Stone safe and sound. Bye, Mrs Birch."

The Birches bade her farewell with varying levels of concern, and she was off. Swapping Doe for Ruffles, she asked her Blaziken to carry her as it ran towards Petalburg. Several townspeople out and about judged her with their gazes alone, but she was the Champion now, and she could do whatever she wanted. Besides, Ruffles would get her there much more quickly than her puny human legs could ever hope to.

Despite being home to one of Hoenn's eight Gyms, Petalburg was rather quaint and quiet. There were only a handful of houses in the area, as well as one moderately sized Centre and Mart. Today, however, there was a commotion in the small town. May hopped out of her Pokémon's arms and rushed over to Wally's house, where its owner was being confronted not by Zinnia, but a familiar purple-haired girl.

"You," spat May, disdain dripping off just that one word. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Well, if it isn't the little hero," drawled Courtney. "Perfect. I can kill two birds with one stone." She thrust a hand forward, still as bossy and demanding as ever. "Hand me over your Key Stone before someone gets hurt."

May scoffed. "The only one getting hurt is you." She reached for a Ball before pausing at the sight of Wally's worried face. "You know what? Fine. If you want it, come get it." Without another word, she ran to the left, towards Route 105.

Fortunately, there weren't many people out and about today, so their upcoming battle wouldn't be as disastrous were she to remain in Petalburg. Predictably, Courtney followed, hot on her trail. Before she could properly regain her breath, May tossed out a Ball and yelled, "Cotton, Sing her to sleep!"

Her handsome Altaria obeyed, uttering a lovely lullaby that made Courtney collapse onto the ground in a heap. Her arm fell to her side, the Pokéball clutched in her grasp rolling away harmlessly.

Wally burst through the opening, almost trampling on the fallen body in the process. "Whoa!" he gasped, neatly side-stepping the Magma Admin. "What happened here?"

May shrugged as she collected Courtney's Pokéballs. "Cotton here used Sing." She patted her fluffy Bird affectionately, who trilled under her ministrations. "Do you mind contacting the police for me?"

"Ah, sure," said the green-haired boy. He rubbed his arm awkwardly as he glanced at Courtney's comatose body. "Should we move her into my place? So no one starts panicking."

She nodded, quietly impressed by Wally's train of thought. "Good idea."

With the help of their Pokémon, they carried Courtney to Wally's house. As they walked, the timid boy explained how she had shown up demanding his Key Stone, even though it had been taken that very morning. May had a creeping suspicion as to who had stolen his Stone, and she admitted as much to Wally.

"Wow," he whispered as he opened the door to his house. "What is she planning on doing with them?"

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," muttered May.

A buzzing sound resounded in the air, sounding like an angry telephone. She glanced at the phone in Wally's hand, but he was in the middle of contacting the police. Wait. The sound was coming from her bag.

Puzzled, May fetched the source of the noise. She pulled out her PokéNav from her bag and clicked on the phone icon flashing on the screen. Cautious, she placed the speakers towards her ear, and almost dropped it when someone's voice came through.

"Hello?" called Steven. "Is that you, May?"

She fervently ignored the lurching of her heart. "Yeah," she whispered. "It's me."

"It's me, Steven." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Have you been well?"

Her lips pinched together. "Well enough," she said curtly. "You?"

"I…The feeling is mutual. I bet you must be surprised," he added, changing topics. "This is a communication mode Devon is currently developing. I traced your PokéNav Plus from the information received when my father updated it a while ago. I thought I'd use it for emergencies only, but it seems that time has come."

May could hear him inhaled deeply from the other end of the line. "I'm sorry to ask you of this, but I need you to come to the Devon Corporation in Rustboro. There's some I have to talk to you about – in person. I'll be waiting for you there."

A small click signalled the dropping of the line, but May barely heard it over the stream of thoughts rampaging through her mind. A small, desperate part of her hoped that this urgent matter Steven wanted to talk about was, well, about what happened in the Hall of Fame. She entertained that fantasy for a brief second before harsh reality came crashing down. No, judging by the timing, it had to do with the Key Stone thief. And yet…

With a shake of her head, May excused herself. She left Cotton with Wally, instructing him to use Sing once more if it looked like Courtney was going to wake again. Once she was a good distance from the inquisitive stares of the town, she summoned Latios and flew to Rustboro, paying no mind to the surprised faces of those she passed.

Latios dropped her off right in front of Devon Corp's building, where Steven was already waiting for them. He barely paid attention to the Legendary as it shot off into the heavens once more, his eyes glued to her instead. It was a shame it was filled with pain rather than love.

"May…" began Steven. He cut himself off with a light sigh. When he spoke again, his voice was detached and businesslike. "I'm sorry about calling you so suddenly."

A meaningful pause followed, forcing May to reply. "What's up?" she asked, her tone too cool and casual to be genuine.

He shifted, perhaps out of discomfort. Who knew the statuesque Steven Stone could experience such a vulnerable emotion? "What needs to be discussed shouldn't be done in public. Come inside."

He waited for her to enter the building first, and May could feel his eyes on her as she held her head high and stepped through the entrance. They opted for the stairs instead of the escalator, saving them both from a suffocating silence. The trip up the stairs was only slightly more bearable. It was a wonder Steven didn't trip along the way, what with how his eyes never seemed to leave her figure.

They couldn't have reached the top floor any sooner. At the end of the corridor were a set of double doors, which opened into the office of Devon Corp's current CEO. Mr Stone seemed to space out as they entered, and it was only when they came to a stop before him that he really noticed them.

"Well, welcome, welcome. It's been quite a while... Hasn't it?" He looked thoughtful, but not necessarily perturbed. "I suppose I'm just getting old. Recently I seem to forget details just as soon as I learn them..." he added, chuckling merrily.

"Dad?" asked Steven, sounding concerned. May glanced up, noting the startling uncertainty on the young man's face.

Mr Stone tried to play it off with a small cough. "Oh, I know. I know what you want to say. My, what a hasty one you are! What are we to do with such an impatient one for our Pokémon League Champion?"

Steven frowned. "Dad, I told you, I'm not the Champion anymore." He looked to May, who automatically avoided his eyes. "May is."

"Oh, is that so? So you're the new Champion, May? Then I guess we'll never break you of that impatience after all, Steven!" he teased, grinning.

"Dad!" scorned Steven, surprising May. Never had she seen him express such vivid emotion. She didn't even know he was capable of such frustration – directed at his dad, no less.

"Bah," scoffed Mr Stone, dismissing his son's irritation, "I know, I know..." Arching a fuzzy, grey eyebrow, he turned to May. "Now then, I'm afraid that I'm planning to start in on a rather long and quite heavy topic. You might want to take a seat."

May did so, and was immensely grateful for it. Once she was settled, Mr Stone weaved to her a tale that was both horrific and intriguing. He detailed the origins of Devon Corp, how it came to be because his ancestor wanted to convert a weapon (which was powered by the lives of Pokémon) into a source of energy – Infinity Energy. And they would need this energy in order to destroy the enormous and destructive asteroid that was currently hurtling towards the planet. Fantastic.

Mr Stone pressed his fingers against his temple. "In order for this plan to succeed, we need a Meteorite Shard."

"And that's why you need May," concluded Steven, who was hovering uncomfortably close by her side. "So she can collect a Shard."

"Correct." Mr Stone beamed proudly at his son. "That's my boy. I knew you'd understand at once."

Steven shrugged. "It's hardly a deduction worthy of praise."

"Modest as ever, eh?" Smiling, he turned back to May. "According to our research, you can find some Shards in the Granite Cave in Dewford. And Steven – I want you, son, to head for the Space Centre at once to start the preparations, using that Link Cable that I gave you." His smiled dimmed as he said, "Be careful."

Steven nodded. "So it's to be a warp system. Do you remember the Granite Cave, May?" he asked, sounding much warmer. "It's where we first met."

"Yeah," she murmured, "I remember." May locked eyes with him for a moment before she turned to Mr Stone. "The weapon is going to be used as a teleporter? Where will it be sent to?"

"We don't know for sure," Mr Stone replied uneasily. "We only know it won't be in our universe."

Parallel universes actually existed? May's eyebrows shot up in amazement. She had always believed, but to hear it confirmed… Wow. There were endless possibilities!

"Why me?" she asked, once her euphoria faded. "Why not the Gym leaders? They're meant to protect the region, aren't they?"

Mr Stone nodded, but his lips were pursed into a thin line. "Yes, that is indeed the duty of the Gym leaders. However, like with the Groudon incident, they are occupied with keeping their individual towns calm. The Pokémon Association was doing something similar, but on a larger scale; they were maintaining order in the region as a whole, snuffling out rumours and executing damage control on the media."

Typical. May pinched the bridge of her nose wearily. "I see," she sighed. "I'll accept this task."

"It looks like it's decided, then," noted Steven, and an air of finality descended on them. May valiantly ignored the ominous weight of dread that nestled in her gut. "I'll head for the Space Centre in Mossdeep. If I learn anything, I will contact you at once, May. It'll end up as another one-sided message like the one I sent you, I'm afraid. Good luck."

"I won't need luck," she said before she could stop herself. "After all, I'm a pro when it comes to one-sided situations."

Steven froze, as did May. Her eyes widened in horror. What the hell was wrong with her?!

She was just weighing the pros and cons of jumping straight out of the window when Mr Stone swept in and saved the day.

"Then…I will be counting on the two of you to take care of this for me," he said, voice tinged with curiosity. "If you forget just what it is you need to do, come talk to me again... Assuming I remember as well!" He chuckled affably, not seeming to mind that his good humour fell flat for his audience.

Nodding quickly, May bid the Stones farewell. She practically ran out of the room, not once glancing back. If she never saw Steven again, it would be far too soon.


End file.
